6LIZHI36T 

• 

D-WH;- - 


/ 


9/^e^-A  c-rc 


IN  MEMOMAM 
Albin  Putzker 


Stuart 

(MRS.  WARD.) 


THE  GATES  AJAR.     75th  Thousand.     i6mo,  $1.50. 

BEYOND  THE  GATES.     28th  Thousand.     i6mo,  $1.25. 

THE  GATES  BETWEEN.     i6mo,  $1.25. 

The  above  three  volumes,  in  box,  $4.00. 

MEN,  WOMEN,  AND  GHOSTS.     Stories.     i6mo,  $1.50. 

HEDGED  IN.     i6mo,  $1.50. 

THE  SILENT  PARTNER.     i6mo,  $1.50. 

THE  STORY  OF  AVIS.     i6mo,  $1.50;  paper,  50  cents. 

SEALED  ORDERS,  and  Other  Stories.     i6mo,  $1.50.    . 

FRIENDS:  A  Duet.     i6mo,  $1.25. 

DOCTOR  ZAY.     i6mo,  $..25. 

AN  OLD   MAID'S   PARADISE,  and  BURGLARS   IN   PARA- 
DISE.    i6mo,  $1.25. 

The  above  eleven  volumes,  uniform,  $15.00. 

THE    TROTTY    BOOK.      For  Young   Folks.      Illustrated. 
Square  i6mo,  $1.25. 

TROTTY'S  WEDDING  TOUR  AND  STORY  BOOK.     Illus- 
trated.    Square  i6mo,  $1.25. 

WHAT  TO  WEAR?     i6mo,  $1.00. 

POETIC  STUDIES.     Square  i6mo,  $1.50. 

SONGS   OF    THE    SILENT   WORLD,    and   Other   Poems. 
With  Portrait.     i6mo,  $1.25. 

THE  MADONNA  OF  THE  TUBS.     Fully  illustrated.     i2mo, 
$1.50. 

JACK  THE  FISHERMAN.  Illustrated.  Square  i2mo, boards, 
50  cents. 

THE   STRUGGLE    FOR   IMMORTALITY.     Essays.     i6mo, 
$1.25. 

THE    MASTER  OF  THE    MAGICIANS.    Collaborated  with 
HERBERT  D.  WARD.    i6mo,  $1.25. 

HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  AND  COMPANY, 

BOSTON  AND  NEW  YORK. 


THE  •:•:••- 

MASTER  OF  THE   MAGICIANS 

BY 

ELIZABETH    STUART   PHELPS 

AND 

HERBERT   D.  WARD 


..."  The  man  the  son  of  his  god, 
Like  heaven  may  he  be  pure  ! 
Like  the  midst  of  heaven  may  he  shine !  " 

BABYLONIAN  INCANTATION 


BOSTON   AND    NEW   YORK 
HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  AND  COMPANY 


1890 


Copyright,  1890, 
BY  ELIZABETH  STUART   PIIELPS   WARD 

AND 

HERBERT  D.  WARD. 


All  rights  reserved. 


SIXTH   THOUSAND. 


The  Riverside  Press,  Cambridge,  Mass.tU.  S.  A. 
Electrotyped  and  Printed  by  II.  0.  Houghton  &  Co. 


mo 


NOTE. 

THERE  are  few  things  about  which  it  is  easier 
to  disagree  than  a  historical  tale  dealing  with  a 
period  so  remote  that  fable  and  fact  contend  for 
the  field. 

The  authors  of  this  story  have  taken  the 
liberty  of  adjusting  the  uncertain  calendar  of 
the  times  to  the  necessities  of  art.  They  have 
not  thought  it  urgent  strictly  to  follow  the  Bib- 
lical chronology,  for  reasons  obvious  to  any 
Oriental  student  and  important  to  the  movement 
of  the  narrative. 

Modern  Assyriology  has  become  a  rapid  and 
complex  series  of  discoveries.  To  dogmatise, 
is  to  be  unscientific.  The  enthusiastic  research 
of  to-morrow  may  overthrow  the  theory  of  to- 
day. "The  Master  of  the  Magicians,"  be  it 
remembered,  is  not  an  archa3ological  treatise, 
but  a  novel. 

H.  D.  W. 
E.  S.  P.  W. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

IT  was  spring  in  Babylon.  The  ingenious 
clepsydra  lazily  marked  the  second  division  of 
the  sultry  morning.  It  was  the  month  Airu.1 
The  moon  and. the  sun  were  balanced,  and  food 
was  in  the  mouth  of  the  people. 

Protected  by  a  high  wall,  that  incloses  a 
square  of  two  stades  each  way,  stands  the  tow- 
ering temple  of  Bel.  This  holy  pyramid  is  the 
glory  of  Babylon,  and  confers  imperishable  honor 
upon  its  royal  restorer,  Nebuchadrezzar  the 
Great.  The  essential  and  conspicuous  feature 
of  the  temple  is  the  Ziggurat,  or  tower,  which 
rises  in  decreasing  rectangular  stages  to  the 
height  of  three  hundred  and  fifty-six  feet  from 
the  level  ground.  This  tower  rears  itself  up- 
ward in  seven  courses  from  its  platform  base. 
The  platform  is  considered  by  many  the  eighth 
stage.  But  such  is  not  the  case.  It  is  a  square 

1  April. 


2  THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

whose  sides  measure  one  stadium,  or  six  hundred 
feet  each.  This  is  the  mountain  which  the  king 
—  may  Merodach  protect  him  !  —  reared  to  Bel. 
Not  even  are  Imgur-Bel  or  Nevitti-Bel,  the  ram- 
parts of  this  eternal  city,  more  magnificent  than 
the  stupendous  foundation  of  the  temple  of  Bel 
and  of  the  Queen  of  Heaven.  Upon  this  plat- 
form (whose  sides  confront  the  cardinal  points, 
and  under  whose  four  corners  the  king  hath  set 
his  seal  and  cylinder)  rise  the  seven  different 
elevations  in  pyramidal  exactness.  Each  of 
these  is  sacred  to  its  own  planet.  Each  has  a 
proportionate  and  decreasing  base  line,  and  each, 
with  the  exception  of  the  crowning  shrine,  is 
thirty-six  feet  high.  Is  not  this  the  square  of 
six,  the  number  of  the  lawful  days  of  labor? 
The  first  stage,  dedicated  to  Saturn,  is  painted  a 
bituminous  coat  of  black.  This  is  a  square  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty-six  feet.  The  second  is 
painted  white ;  each  of  its  four  sides  measures 
two  hundred  and  twenty  feet.  The  third  glows 
in  the  hue  of  a  Damascus  orange.  This  is  ded- 
icated to  Jupiter ;  its  sides  measure  each  one 
hundred  and  eighty-four  feet.  The  fourth,  sa- 
cred to  Mercury,  was  burned  in  its  building  to  a 
vitreous  blue.  Its  sides  are  diminished  like  the 
rest  by  thirty-six  feet.  The  fifth  stage  shows 
a  bright  blood-red  ;  the  ruddy  clay,  by  order  of 
the  chief  high  priest,  was  simply  burned.  Mars 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.      3 

rejoices  in  this  scarlet  token,  and  gives  victory 
to  the  army  of  the  king.  The  sixth  huge  step  is 
sacred  to  the  moon.  Each  of  its  sides  measures 
seventy-six  feet.  They  shine  like  the  moon  at 
midnight.  They  are  coated  with  princely  silver. 
The  number  of  talents  of  precious  metal  used 
thereon  is  a  royal  secret,  but  each  plate  was 
hammered  to  the  thickness  of  a  thumb  nail,  and 
who  dares  tear  it  away  ?  The  seventh  stage  is 
the  last.  It  is  a  cube.  Forty  feet  is  its  height. 
Forty  feet  is  its  width.  Forty  feet  is  its  length. 
This  is  the  temple  of  the  god  Bel.  It  is  sacred 
to  the  sun,  and  is  as  dazzling  to  the  eye.  The 
king  said,  Let  there  be  naught  but  gold  without 
and  within.  Beaten  plates  of  gold  were  affixed 
to  this  shrine  of  Bel,  and  its  framework  was 
built  of  selected  cedars  of  Lebanon  from  beyond 
the  desert.  The  grandeur  of  this  pyramid  is  su- 
preme. It  is  likened  unto  the  rainbow  that  is 
seen  when  the  sesame  first  sends  forth  its  shoot. 
There  are  thirty-six  temples  to  the  gods  within 
Imgur-Bel,  the  outer  wall  of  Babylon.  This  is 
of  all  the  greatest,  and  in  declaring  it  the 
tongues  of  men  become  confused.  Planned  by 
the  astrologer  of  King  Sargon,  it  rises  to  a  mys- 
tic height.  Is  it  not  the  square  of  sixteen,  the 
square  of  four,  the  square  of  two  ?  A  broad, 
winding  ascent,  mounting  from  stage  to  stage, 
leads  to  the  top  ;  and  midway  there  is  a  resting 


4  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

place  for  the  people  who  offer  at  the  altar  of 
Bel. 

Such  is  the  wonder  of  Babylon,  unequaled 
among  all  the  architectural  marvels  of  the  city 
of  the  Gate  of  God.  Within  the  golden  shrine 
blaze  three  images  of  gold.  They  are  known 
as  Bel,  Beltis  his  wife,  and  Ishtar  the  Queen  of 
Babylon.  Before  the  image  of  Beltis,  the  Queen 
of  the  Land,  are  two  lions  of  gold.  On  each 
side  of  these  gleam  two  serpents  of  silver.  Be- 
fore the  sacred  statues  is  the  table  of  gold,  and 
upon  this  rest  the  golden  bowls,  one  for  each  of 
the  deities. 

No  one  knows  the  full  extent  of  the  treasures 
of  Bel  but  Nebuchadrezzar  the  king,  and  no 
one  is  more  beloved  of  the  king  than  Mutusa-ili, 
the  wisest  of  his  subjects,  who  teaches  the  mys- 
teries of  the  priestly  lore  to  such  pupils  as  the 
king  ordains.  At  the  base  of  the  tower  of  Bel 
is  a  second  chapel ;  this  contains  a  sitting  image 
of  Bel,  molten  of  gold.  Opposite  to  this  rises  a 
statue  of  the  king,  twelve  cubits  in  height,  also 
of  solid  gold.  Within  are  the  offerings  of  the 
rich,  jewels  of  carbuncle  and  ruby,  and  thrones 
of  carved  ivory  and  gold  taken  from  the  Sido- 
nians  in  battle.  Outside  of  this  smaller  shrine 
are  two  altars.  The  larger  one  is  of  silver  ; 
on  it  are  daily  offered  fifty  full-grown  victims. 
Upon  this  great  altar,  at  the  annual  festival  of 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS.  5 

the  god,  are  burned  a  thousand  talents  of  frank- 
incense of  priceless  odors.  The  smaller  altar  is 
of  gold.  Here  a  hundred  sucklings  are  offered 
between  the  morning  and  the  evening  hours. 
These  altars  stand  upon  the  northeast,  the  cool 
front  of  the  great  tower  of  Babylon.  Opposite 
are  the  brazen  gates  within  the  wall,  the  entrance 
to  the  sacred  court.  Here  ends  the  road  of 
Nana,  which  the  king  laid  out  from  his  new  pal- 
ace northward  to  the  temple.  The  road  of  Nana 
crosses  the  Shebil  canal  half-way  from  the  pal- 
ace to  the  Ziggurat.  On  the  right  of  the  road 
of  Nana,  just  beyond  the  Shebil  canal,  which  pro- 
tects the  pleasure-ground  of  the  king,  about  two 
stades  southwest  of  the  temple  of  Bel,  stands  the 
ancient  library  of  Babylon.  Built  two  thousand 
years  before  the  son  of  Nabu-pal-usur  began  to 
reign,  it  had  been  restored  by  each  successive 
ruler,  until  now,  with  all  its  additions,  it  has  be- 
come a  solemn  and  a  stately  pile.  Raised,  as  all 
public  buildings  are,  upon  a  platform,  it  is  pro- 
tected by  a  battlement,  or  escarpment,  that  rises 
fifty  feet  from  the  ground.  A  moat,  fed  from 
the  lazy  Euphrates,  surrounds  •  the  battlement. 
From  the  Nana  road  projects  the  only  entrance 
to  this  palace  of  learning.  This  short  avenue 
is  paved  with  brilliant  bricks,  upon  which  are 
painted  and  burned  the  Houses  of  the  Sun.  A 
drawbridge  drops  across  the  fosse,  and  the  way 


6  THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

comes  to  an  abrupt  stop  before  huge  doors  of 
brass  that  are  guarded  on  each  side  by  lions 
carved  in  stone.  Thence  there  is  a  dark  ascent 
until  the  upper  court  is  reached.  Now  the  maze 
of  buildings  and  their  foreboding  look  strike  the 
searcher  after  truth  with  bewilderment ;  his 
hushed  foot  falls  within  timidly.  To  the  right, 
in  a  wing,  is  the  hall  of  instruction  of  Mutusa-ili, 
the  sage  of  Babylon,  beloved  of  the  king. 

It  was  the  third  hour  of  the  morning  watch. 
The  water-clock  seemed  flooded.  This  common 
timepiece  had  an  odd  attachment.  At  each 
division  of  the  day  it  dropped  a  corresponding 
number  of  pebbles  into  a  brazen  urn  below.. 
Three  times  this  pleasant  clatter  resounded 
through  the  silent  halls,  on  a  bright  morning  of 
the  second  month  of  the  fifteenth  year  of  the 
reign  of  Nebuchadrezzar. 

A  little  group  stood  in  the  court-yard  under 
the  shade  of  a  tall  date-palm,  intently  watching 
the  gilded  shrine  on  the  Ziggurat  of  Bel.  It  was 
the  hour  of  prayer,  and  the  pilgrims  on  their 
weary  ascent  were  seen  to  halt  and  bend  their 
bodies  low  in  devotion.  One  among  this  group, 
in  the  court  of  what  was  known  as  the  royal 
library  or  university,  stood  preeminent  for  his 
age  and  bearing.  From  his  head  rose  a  tur- 
ban, shaped  like  a  cone,  crowned  with  a  scarlet 
rosette.  That  was  the  only  bit  of  color  on  his 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  7 

attire.  Cool,  white,  spotless  linen  reached  to 
his  feet.  In  his  left  hand  he  held  a  stick  of 
choice  cedar ;  its  handle  was  a  sphere  of  lapis- 
lazuli,  upon  which  the  sun  and  moon  were  en- 
graved. That  wand  was  a  badge  of  office,  and 
was  the  sole  ornament  which  Mutusa-ili  owned  ; 
it  was  a  present  from  the  king.  His  beard  was 
long  and  white.  It  hung  upon  his  breast  in 
curls.  From  behind  his  turban  fell  what  might 
be  called  a  veil :  it  consisted  of  two  broad  linen 
bands ;  these  protected  his  neck  and  back  from 
the  scorching  heat  of  the  sun.  About  him 
were  his  pupils.  They  were  the  pick  of  the 
Babylonian  Empire.  They  numbered  hardly 
over  a  score,  and  were  the  future  high  priests, 
astronomers,  diviners,  and  rulers  of  provinces 
and  of  the  armies  of  the  king.  These  youths, 
for  the  oldest  had  not  yet  known  seventeen 
years,  were  gazing  as  devoutly  as  boys  can,  and 
with  a  suspicion  of  curiosity,  upon  the  iridescent 
temple  before  them.  At  nine  o'clock  precisely, 
a  bright  standard  was  raised  from  the  top  of 
the  tower.  This  could  easily  be  seen  all  over 
the  aristocratic  part  of  the  city.  It  was  the  sig- 
nal for  prayer.  The  boys  were  in  the  habit  of 
timing  their  water-clock  in  the  court  by  this 
daily  token.  This  morning  the  water-clock  was 
almost  a  minute  ahead  of  the  official  time,  and 
one  boy,  in  the  midst  of  his  profound  devotion, 


8  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

nudged  another  significantly,  as  if  a  wager  had 
been  won.  He  that  was  the  master  stood  intent. 
He  mused,  rather  than  adored,  and  seemed,  con- 
trary to  his  wont,  to  be  communing  with  another 
divinity.  A  bright-faced  youth  by  his  side  may 
have  understood  his  master's  thoughts,  for  he 
touched  the  linen  robe  of  the  teacher  not  irrev- 
erently, and  whispered,  — 

"  Is  not  Bel  enough  ?  " 

"  Hush,  Susa ! "  hastily  answered  the  sage. 
"  Bel  is  not  alone.  There  is  another  fount  of 
Deity.  I  look  beyond  the  veil  of  yonder  sacred 
shrine.  Thou  knowest  naught  yet  of  these  mys- 
tic things." 

The  lad  blushed  at  this  transcendental  rebuke, 
and,  wondering  what  it  meant,  fixed  his  gaze 
again  aloft.  One  hand  was  folded  across  his 
breast,  the  other  extended  before  him  in  the 
conventional  attitude  of  devotion.  Then  the 
crimson  banner  that  flaunted  from  the  height 
was  lowered.  The  moment  of  prayer  had  passed, 
and  the  business  of  the  day  was  briskly  resumed. 
Astrologers  swarmed  into  the  library  to  con- 
sult the  Illumination  of  Bel.  Historians  came 
to  verify  their  records ;  students  were  numerous. 
They  had  flocked  from  all  parts  of  the  empire 
to  study  what  only  this  university,  with  its  in- 
comparable library  and  ready  corps  of  instruc- 
tors could  teach  them. 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS,  9 

Mutusa-ili  was  the  recognized  head  of  this 
seat  of  learning.  His  word  was  the  final  appeal 
in  the  culture  of  the  times.  But  his  special  duty 
was  to  train  youths  to  be  men,  and  to  carry  them 
through  all  the  branches  of  learning  known  to 
the  Babylonians.  His  term  of  instruction  was 
completed  when  the  students  became  fit  to  take 
the  position  in  the  world  which  the  king  com- 
manded. The  present  class  was  not  yet  two 
years  advanced.  Another  had  almost  completed 
its  course.  That  was  mainly  composed  of  high- 
born captives  who  were  becoming  naturalized. 
Of  these,  many  were  Jews  of  the  last  captivity 
from  Jerusalem. 

Within  the  chamber  of  instruction  the  buzz 
of  work  had  begun.  On  a  high  seat,  or  throne, 
sat  the  master.  In  his  left  hand  was  the  wand 
of  office.  With  his  right  he  gesticulated  gravely. 
About  him,  on  low  benches,  the  boys  wrote  dili- 
gently. 

"  May  Nebo  instruct  me  !  "  said  one  lad  petu- 
lantly ;  "  any  fool  can  copy  Akkadian,  but  who 
can  translate  the  stuff  ?  " 

"  Bring  the  tablet  here,"  said  the  teacher 
mildly.  "Thou  didst  well  to  call  upon  Nebo. 
Thou  needest  more  of  the  art  to  learn."  For 
Nebo  was  the  deity  of  the  university,  the  god 
of  instruction. 

The  boy  brought  up  his  tablet  of  moist  clay 
and  stood  with  his  stylus  in  his  mouth. 


10  THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  Surely  thou  canst  render  the  fable  of  the 
ass  and  the  lion's  skin  ?  "  asked  the  master. 

"  It  is  easy  enough  to  recognize  the  words  for 
ass,  owner,  and  long  ears.  I  cannot  understand 
the  rest ;  it  is  useless  work." 

The  lad  looked  disconsolately  at  the  neat  tablet 
which  he  had  to  copy  and  translate  into  his  own 
tongue  ;  it  was  written  in  the  language  of  two 
thousand  years  before  his  day,  —  the  language 
of  the  priests  and  scribes,  and  of  the  literature 
classic  to  the  age. 

Susa's  venerable  teacher  smiled. 

"  When  I  taught  Balatsu-usur,  whom  the 
king  (may  Merodach  protect  him!)  brought 
captive  from  Jerusalem,  the  alien  learned  it  in 
one  day.  Surely  a  stranger  shall  not  outstrip 
thee.  Now  get  thee  to  thy  work  again.  Use 
the  dictionary  more  diligently,  or  thou  shalt 
never  become  a  Rubu-Emga,  a  glorious  chief 
like  thy  father." 

The  lad  looked  discouraged,  and  his  teeth 
unconsciously  closed  upon  and  splintered  the 
three-edged  wooden  stylus,  —  the  pen  which 
wrote  characters  upon  the  clay  by  pressure.  He 
drew  another  cedar  stylus  from  his  bosom  and 
bent  to  his  work. 

When  the  morning  work  was  nearly  done, 
the  boy  lifted  a  bright  face  to  his  master,  and 
made  it  known  that  the  transcription  on  his  tab- 
let was  complete. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  11 

u  Has  any  other  pupil  finished  the  fable  ? " 
asked  Mutusa-ili.  No  one  answered. 

"  Then  read  what  thou  hast  written,  Susa, 
and  the  gods  guide  thy  speech." 

The  lad  proudly  read  his  translation  as  follows. 

"  An  ass,  finding  the  skin  of  a  lion,  put  it  on 
with  pride.  Disguised,  it  now  spread  terror 
among  the  neighborhood.  Some  went  and  told 
the  king.  The  royal  hunt  was  organized.  Just 
as  the  king  came  up  in  his  chariot,  the  fraud 
was  discovered  by  the  master  of  the  ass,  who 
espied  his  long  ears  and  recognized  his  loud 
voice.  The  master  belabored  the  ass  until  the 
skin  of  the  lion  fell  off,  revealing  to  the  dis- 
gusted king  the  vulgar  beast  of  burden.  In  his 
disappointment,  the  king  ordered  the  ass  to  be 
killed,  and  the  owner  to  work  in  the  brick-yard 
for  one  month." 

"  Let  me  now  see  the  writing,"  said  the  mas- 
ter, as  a  low  hum  of  approval  was  heard  from 
the  rest  of  the  boys  at  this  glib  and  perfect  ren- 
dering. Susa  was  the  quickest  scholar,  given  to 
pranks,  but  aspiring  and  earnest.  His  family 
was  of  the  best  old  stock  in  the  land,  and,  being 
destined  ultimately  for  high  preferment,  he  had 
importance  among  the  lads.  His  brother,  a 
young  man  of  twenty-five,  was  already  captain 
of  the  king's  body-guard,  an  office  of  distinc- 
tion. Allit,  known  to  many  by  his  military 


12  THE  MASTER   OF    THE   MAGICIANS. 

name  as  Arioch  the  Tall,  was  preferred  by  the 
king ;  Amytis,  the  queen,  shared  this  sentiment. 
Susa  would  naturally  come  before  the  notice  of 
the  king,  who  took  a  personal  interest,  when  he 
was  in  Babylon,  in  the  advancement  made  by 
each  of  his  proteges. 

The  teacher  scanned  the  tablet  which  the  boy 
had  laid  upon  his  knee.  Here  and  there  a 
wedge-shaped  letter  was  written  indistinctly 
through  inexperience,  but  the  transcription  was 
correct. 

"  See,"  said  the  pleased  master.  "  I  will 
stamp  it  with  my  seal,  and  do  thou  put  thy  mark 
upon  its  edge.  It  shall  be  stored  in  the  vaults 
where  thy  father's  and  thy  grandfather's  first 
perfect  exercises  are  kept  for  all  time  and  times 
and  a  day." 

The  lad's  face  quivered  with  joy  at  this  great 
honor ;  for  it  was  the  custom  to  preserve  the  first 
perfect  translations  of  the  old  Akkadian  in  the 
library.  This  acted  as  a  powerful  stimulus  on 
the  student,  and  it  became  a  matter  of  honor  in 
a  family  that  such  exercises  should  date  back  a 
thousand  years  or  so  in  direct  descent. 

While  the  teacher  was  yet  speaking,  an  un- 
usual commotion  was  heard  in  the  halls  of  the 
building.  The  master,  with  the  composure  of 
age,  exhibited  indifference,  but  the  boys  became 
restless.  There  was  a  shout,  followed  by  an- 


THE  MASTER    OF   THE   MAGICIANS  13 

other.  The  lads  could  stand  it  no  longer.  At  a 
nod  from  Mutusa-ili  they  rushed  to  the  terrace 
without. 

The  cry  now  rang  out  distinctly  :  "  The  king ! 
It  is  the  king !  The  favorite  of  Marduk ! 
Nebuchadrezzar  the  king  !  " 


CHAPTER  II. 

IT  was  true  that  the  king  had  returned  to 
Babylon.  He  had  been  on  a  military  expedi- 
tion —  one  of  a  score  —  organized  against  the 
mountain  tribe  that  happened  at  the  time  to 
have  revolted  and  refused  tribute.  Like  the 
majority  of  such  excursions,  it  had  been  only 
a  matter  of  days  to  punish  the  offenders  and 
bring  captive  thousands  of  rebels.  Nebuchad- 
rezzar had  approached  his  royal  city  at  the 
northern  gate,  and  now,  palpitating  with  tri- 
umph, advanced  to  offer  his  booty  before  the 
altar  of  Bel. 

In  his  chariot  of  state  the  king  rode.  Beside 
him  the  charioteer  drove  the  restless  horses. 
Behind  him  stood  a  bare-headed  eunuch,  who 
held  the  gorgeous  parasol,  the  emblem  of  sov- 
ereignty, above  the  monarch's  head.  Behind  the 
king  rode  the  generals  of  the  right  and  of  the 
left,  each  in  his  chariot.  Allit,  the  brother  of 
Susa,  followed  upon  a  mighty  horse.  After 
him  were  his  men  in  rank,  their  hands  upon 
their  javelins,  ready  to  start  at  the  king's 
command.  Then  came  throngs  of  prisoners, 


THE   MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  15 

about  to  be  branded  as  slaves.  These  marched 
sullenly,  their  hands  behind  them,  their  heads 
in  halters.  In  droves,  like  cattle,  they  stag- 
gered along.  Among  them  were  women  and 
children.  The  weakest  of  these  were  carried 
in  carts.  This  procession  was  miles  in  length, 
and  as  it  wound  its  way  through  the  crowds 
of  hooting  citizens,  the  captives  looked  in  vain 
for  sympathy.  In  such  a  piteous  procession 
lay  the  source  of  the  nation's  wealth  and  weak- 
ness, for  the  captive  force  must  be  recruited 
whenever  gigantic  building  enterprises  were  un- 
dertaken. It  was  rumored  that  the  king  had 
himself  fomented  this  last  revolt,  so  as  to  have 
at  hand  sufficient  laborers  to  build  some  elabo- 
rate gardens  for  his  Median  queen.  However 
that  might  be,  the  people  did  not  trouble  them- 
selves as  long  as  their  king  was  successful  and 
the  trade  stimulated. 

The  boys  had  run  swiftly  to  the  Nana  road  to 
meet  the  procession.  The  streets  were  crowded 
with  excited  people  who  came  out  to  greet  the 
pageant.  The  greater  part  of  the  mob  were  of 
the  lower  class,  who  always  traveled  on  foot ; 
many  were  slaves ;  but  here  and  there  a  chariot 
revealed  an  arrogant  noble,  or  from  a  brilliant 
litter,  carried  by  Egyptians,  peered  the  uncovered 
face  of  a  woman  decked  with  embroideries  and 
jewelry.  As  Susa  ran  along,  he  jarred  against 


16  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

a  girl.  She  was  young.  She  could  not  have 
been  over  seventeen.  She  turned,  with  a  motion 
of  annoyance,  but  when  she  saw  the  lad's  guilt- 
less face  she  smiled  pleasantly  upon  him.  In 
the  rush  of  the  throng  Susa  noticed  only  two 
things  about  this  girl:  a  soft,  dark  look,  and 
crimson  fringe  upon  a  white  robe.  The  boy  was 
a  young  observer,  but  he  was  conscious  of  a 
startled,  truant  expression  that  played  prettily 
over  her  face,  as  if  a  home-keeping  girl  had 
snatched  a  forbidden  pleasure,  a  moment's  glance 
at  a  world  that  was  not  hers.  Susa,  with  the 
chivalry  of  youth,  hastened  to  make  such  repara- 
tion as  he  could  for  his  roughness.  He  nodded 
brightly  to  the  maiden. 

"  Come  after  me.  We  '11  get  the  best  view 
of  the  procession." 

Then  he  plunged  forward  in  a  lordly  way.  He 
bellowed  to  a  slave,  and  nudged  a  portly  citi- 
zen aside.  The  girl  followed  closely,  and  Susa 
escaped  many  a  hard  word  as  she  smiled  apol- 
ogy here  and  there  for  the  ardor  of  her  young 
protector.  It  was  not  long  before  the  two,  pant- 
ing with  exercise,  had  skirted  along  the  lower 
wall  of  the  temple  and  faced  the  procession  as 
it  was  about  to  pass  within  the  sacred  inclosure. 

"  Yonder  rides  my  brother,"  said  Susa  proudly. 
"He  is  captain  of  the  king's  guard.  He  is  a 
fine  fellow.  I  came  out  to  see  him.  He  has 


THE   MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  17 

been  at  the  wars.  I  shall  shout  to  him  when 
he  gets  near  enough." 

"  Where  ?  "  asked  the  girl.  "  Quick !  I  must 
get  homeward.  I  ought  not  to  be  here." 

"  Have  you  run  away  ?  "  suggested  the  lad 
comfortably.  "  That  is  excellent.  I  do  that  — 
when  I  can.  I  ran  away  from  school  once.  But 
Mutusa-ili  knows  how  to  make  you  sorry  you 
did  it,  I  can  tell  you  !  It  is  a  poor  bargain  to 
play  truant  at  the  king's  school.  But  it  is  fun 
while  it  lasts." 

The  girl  nodded,  with  a  twinkle  in  her  eye. 

"I  can't  play  truant,"  she  answered  confi- 
dently, "for  I  may  not  go  to  school.  I  have 
only  run  away  from  home  to  see  the  parade. 
That  is  very  tame,  you  see.  I  am  only  a 
woman." 

"  Women  are  very  useful,"  observed  the 
young  lord  calmly.  "  But  there  comes  my 
brother.  See  !  His  name  is  Allit.  He  is  brave, 
I  tell  you.  He  never  surrenders.  He  is  never 
captured.  Yonder  he  rides,  like  a  king  behind 
the  king.  Is  he  not  a  handsome  fellow  ?  " 

Susa  pointed  to  the  procession,  and  the  maid- 
en's eyes  demurely  followed  the  slow  motion  of 
his  finger.  The  parade  was  an  imposing  affair. 
The  king  rode  first,  haughty  and  splendid.  His 
chariot  was  covered  with  plates  of  gold.  The 
wheels  and  the  harness  of  the  horses  were 


18  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

studded  with  gems :  these  were  of  differing 
colors,  —  turquoise,  garnets,  and  emerald.  The 
horses  were  cream-white,  caparisoned  in  cloth- 
of-gold. 

The  monarch  was  arrayed  in  his  royal  robes. 
The  tiara  glittered  upon  his  head.  The  char- 
ioteer checked  the  pace  of  the  impatient  horses 
as  they  approached  the  brazen  entrance  to  the 
temple.  Nebuchadrezzar  motioned,  and  the  well- 
trained  horses  came  to  a  full  stop.  They  might 
have  been  carved  from  marble,  so  still  they  stood. 
But  for  the  tinkling  of  the  bells  attached  to 
their  collars,  they  gave  no  sign  of  life.  Now, 
not  even  the  king  could  ride  into  the  sacred 
court.  Like  the  humblest  of  his  subjects,  he 
was  proud  to  walk  and  bow  the  knee  to  his 
protective  divinity. 

Thus  it  was  natural  that  when  the  king 
halted  the  procession  should  crowd  up.  The 
mass  pressed  closer.  Bearers  of  shields  tried 
to  calm  restive  horses.  When  the  sovereign 
alighted,  the  shout  of  welcome  rent  the  air. 

The  throng  had  now  become  so  great  that 
Susa  and  the  girl  had  been  forced  apart.  Susa 
had  been  jammed  into  the  front  rank  of  the 
spectators,  while  she  was  looking  at  the  captain 
of  the  guards,  —  the  king  behind  the  king. 
The  boy  searched  for  her  in  vain,  but  she  had 
disappeared.  Wild  songs  of  joy  burst  from  the 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  19 

people.  The  horns,  the  timbrels,  and  the  harps 
resounded  shrilly.  One  looked,  and  the  faces 
of  the  musicians  were  sad.  They  were  out  of 
tune  with  the  universal  joy,  for  they  were  He- 
brew captives  playing  at  their  master's  nod. 
This  was  the  song  with  which  the  people  greeted 
Nebuchadrezzar :  — 

"  Mighty  legions  which  devised  against  thee, 

Before  thy  feet 
Thou  cuttest  them  in  pieces. 

Thou,  thou, 
Art  king  of  kings!  " 

As  the  last  triumphal  sound  died  away,  two 
horses  that  their  attendants  had  vainly  tried  to 
hold,  became  maddened.  Hemmed  in  by  a  wall 
of  people,  they  communicated  a  contagion  of 
fright  to  the  horses  of  a  chariot  at  the  immediate 
left.  The  four  infuriated  steeds  charged  the 
mob.  Cries  of  terror  and  warning  rang  out 
from  the  occupants  of  the  two  war-chariots. 
The  mass  melted  before  this  onslaught.  One 
slave,  caught  by  hoofs,  was  crushed,  and  the 
heavy  chariot  passed  over  him.  No  one  paid 
attention  to  this  incident.  It  was  only  a  slave. 

Susa  was  in  direct  line  of  the  path  of  destruc- 
tion, but  with  the  alertness  of  youth  he  had 
dodged,  and  now  stood  safe.  As  he  watched  the 
people  parting  before  the  shock,  he  saw  that  one 
was  left  behind.  In  his  confusion,  he  noticed 


20  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

nothing  but  a  waving  drapery  of  white  touched 
with  crimson,  which  looked  to  his  excited  imag- 
ination like  spots  of  blood.  The  horses  were 
upon  her.  He  fancied  that  she  »was  struck,  and 
in  an  agony  of  terror  cried  above  the  universal 
shriek,  — 

"  Allit,  Allit !  Save  her !  Save  that  girl !  " 
During  this,  to  say  the  least,  unusual  commo- 
tion, for  these  horses  were  by  far  too  well  trained 
to  lose  their  composure,  except  under  extraordi- 
nary provocation,  a  young  man  sat  disdainfully 
observing  this  disgraceful  lack  of  equine  disci- 
pline, lightly  checking  his  own  impatient  horse. 
The  youth  had  an  unconscious  but  proud  air  of 
command  that  was  exceedingly  becoming.  It 
bespoke  high  birth  and  a  manly  training.  He 
wore  a  brazen  helmet,  with  its  curved  crest 
carved  into  the  head  of  a  horse  ;  it  glittered  in 
the  morning  sun.  Beneath  it  appeared  a  face 
that  might  have  belonged  to  Adar,  god  of 
strength,  the  champion  warrior  himself.  It  was 
large,  but  not  coarse.  The  bones  of  the  head, 
like  those  of  the  rest  of  the  young  man's  body, 
were  massive  ;  yet  the  skin,  tanned  by  a  hundred 
expeditions,  was  as  soft  as  silk  from  Shushan. 
His  deep,  luminous  eyes  had  a  boyish  sparkle. 
Dark  lashes  gave  them  a  happy  look.  His  thick 
but  finely  shaped  lips  curled  as  he  watched  the 
confusion.  He  grasped  his  sword  and  looked 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  21 

towards  the  king,  as  if  awaiting  an  order  to 
punish  the  unskillful  'charioteers.  When  he 
looked  back,  the  four  horses  had  begun  their 
mad  plunge.  The  rabble  was  scattering  before 
them.  The  charioteers  were  pale  with  fright 
at  the  coming  catastrophe.  The  young  warrior 
nonchalantly  prepared  himself  to  view  the  dis- 
aster. He  was  as  composed  as  if  in  his  own 
apartments.  This  indifference,  which  was  either 
acquired  through  soldierly  discipline,  or  affected 
to  conceal  habitual  and  deep  feeling,  had  a 
marked  influence  on  his  men,  who  glanced  at 
him,  and  stood  still.  As  the  young  man  watched 
the  dispersion  of  the  crowd,  his  heart  gave  a 
sudden  upward  start.  The  receding  wave  left 
one  behind.  She  stood  with  her  hands  clasped 
across  her  breast,  swaying  this  way  and  that,  in 
a  stupor  of  indecision.  Crimson  trimming  flick- 
ered like  flame  upon  a  snow-white  robe.  Allit 
was  at  right  angles  to  her,  and  to  the  dashing 
horses  that  bore  down  upon  their  sacrifice.  The 
young  man  spoke  one  word  to  his  horse  ;  his  heel 
enforced  it.  There  would  be  only  a  hundred- 
yard  dash.  Susa's  cry  of  distress  reached  the 
rider's  ears.  The  horse  entered  into  his  mas- 
ter's spirit,  and  flew  at  an  unprecedented  speed. 
All  eyes  turned  upon  the  captain  of  the  guards. 
Did  he  not  ride  to  certain  death?  Allit  and 
the  chariot  with  the  uncontrolled  animals  drew 


22  THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

together.  The  horse  was  as  true  to  the  will  of 
his  rider  as  an  arrow  to  the  aim  of  an  Assyrian 
archer.  No  power  could  now  stop  the  impetus 
of  trained  brute  speed.  The  young  man  bent 
from  his  embossed  saddle.  Was  it  to  escape 
the  pointed  pole  of  the  chariot?  The  girl 
seemed  unmindful  of  her  position.  She  was  in 
a  trance  of  fear.  Every  motor  muscle  had  been 
struck  with  nerve  paralysis.  She  drooped  and 
fell.  The  people  could  not  see  the  arm  that  en- 
veloped her,  for  the  action  was  too  quick.  But 
they  saw  a  white  form  rise  like  a  whirlwind  in 
the  air.  Her  feet  swung  far  behind.  The  sharp 
pole  that  bound  the  horse  to  the  chariot  was 
afterwards  found  to  have  impaled  a  sandal  which 
it  had  pierced  through  the  heel.  There  were 
also  a  few  shreds  of  cotton,  and  one  drop  of 
blood. 

The  deed  was  done,  that  all  Babylon  rehearsed 
for  many  a  day.  The  girl  was  saved.  Allit  at 
the  last  moment  hardly  doubted  his  own  destruc- 
tion, but  the  maiden  must  be  saved  at  any  cost ; 
this  was  the  duty  of  a  soldier  and  a  gentleman. 
He  spoke  a  final  word  to  his  horse,  lovingly,  as 
a  true  horseman  does,  and  galloped  on.  So  close 
was  his  escape  that,  as  he  thundered  across  the 
course  of  the  runaway  chariot,  its  sharpened 
pole  tore  a  furrow  across  his  horse's  flank,  and 
wounded  the  girl  in  the  foot.  She  had  fainted. 


THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  23 

She  did  not  hear  the  king  speak.  The  cries  of  the 
court,  and  the  people  shouting'  applause  at  Allit's 
superb  deed,  passed  over  her  unconsciousness. 
She  did  not  know  that  this  rescue  disconcerted 
the  flying  horses,  and  resulted  in  their  capture. 
Susa's  hand  clutched  his  brother's  bridle,  and 
the  two  spoke  affectionately.  It  was  Susa's 
arm  that  helped  her  down  and  placed  her  on 
the  pavement,  and  the  boy's  voice  that  kept  the 
curious  mob  back.  After  a  few  moments,  her 
eyes  opened  languidly.  A  handsome,  unfamiliar 
face  bent  over  her  with  a  smiling  but  critical 
look.  A  cup  of  palm  wine  soon  restored  her  to 
herself.  She  turned  from  the  stranger  to  Susa, 
her  boyish  friend. 

"  I  don't  know  where  I  am,"  she  said  faintly. 

"You  are  safe  enough  now,"  answered  the 
boy  briskly.  "  What  a  narrow  pull  you  've  had  ! 
My  brother  did  it.  Speak  to  him.  He  saved 
you.  Is  n't  he  a  magnificent  fellow  ?  " 

A  blush  stole  over  her  pale,  olive  face,  giving 
her  the  complexion  of  a  pomegranate  when  its 
core  is  ripe.  She  regarded  for  the  first  time 
"  the  king  behind  the  king." 

Allit  saw  this  beautiful  color  transformation. 
He  had  only  a  moment  to  stop.  The  procession 
was  already  moving,  and  he  must  keep  his  place. 
The  girl  was  agreeable  to  him.  He  was  glad 
she  was  not  ugly  or  old.  How  they  would  have 


24  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

laughed  at  him  —  his  brother  officers  —  for  risk- 
ing his  life  for  a  wrinkled  woman  or  a  common 
slave  !  He  had  known  many  loves,  after  the 
manner  of  a  Babylonian  noble,  and  thought 
lightly  of  women.  The  maiden  attracted  him. 
It  would  be  easy  to  see  her  again. 

Susa  now  thought  it  time  for  him  to  speak. 

"  Come,  Allit,  don't  be  bashful.  She  wants 
to  thank  you.  Then  I  will  see  her  home  in  a 
litter.  For  a  few  shekels,  the  dogs  shall  fetch 
one."  The  boy  pointed  to  a  batch  of  curious 
eunuchs. 

The  girl,  supported  by  Susa,  had  now  strug- 
gled to  an  upright  position.  Allit  approached 
her,  and  gave  an  unconscious  military  salute, 
as  if  before  his  superior.  She  made  a  pretty 
motion  with  her  lips,  and  said,  — 

"  My  young  friend  says  you  are  his  brother. 
He  must  be  happy  to  own  such  a  brave  and 
noble  brother.  I  thank  you,  and  my  father  will 
express  to  you  more  fittingly  my  feelings.  He 
will  call  upon  you." 

"  It  was  nothing,"  said  the  captain.  "  My 
men  wait  for  me.  Tell  me,  who  is  it  I  have 
saved  this  day  ?  Who  is  the  father  of  so  fair  a 
child?" 

"  I  am  Lalitha,"  answered  the  maiden,  with 
slight  embarrassment,  "  the  only  daughter  of 
Mutusa-ili,  the  sage." 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  25 

"  Why,  that 's  my  master  !  "  began  Susa. 

At  this  juncture  the  trumpet  sounded.  La- 
litha  gave  a  little  start  at  the  peal,  and  tottered, 
moaning,  — 

"  My  foot !     Oh,  my  foot !  " 

The  sandal  had  been  torn  away,  and  drops  of 
blood  now  stained  the  bricks  beneath.  Hastily 
drawing  forth  from  his  robe  a  silken  cloth  of  fine 
texture,  Allit  stooped  down  to  bind  the  wound. 
The  second  call  sounded.  The  soldier  dared 
not  wait.  With  one  of  the  too  significant  looks 
he  knew  so  well  how  to  give,  he  gently  said,  — 

"  Maiden,  Lalitha,  daughter  of  Mutusa-ili,  we 
will  meet  again." 

Susa  was  busy  trying  to  bind  the  wounded 
foot,  when  the  captain  of  the  guards  galloped 
off  and  appeared  at  the  head  of  his  command. 
When  Lalitha  was  lifted  into  the  litter  which 
Susa  had  ordered,  she  did  not  see  the  captain, 
but  her  eyes  encountered  the  piercing  glance  of 
one  surrounded  by  a  hundred  eunuchs.  She 
shrank  from  a  woman  over  whom  a  golden  can- 
opy waved,  and  behind  whom  royal  fan-bearers 
performed  their  meek  attentions.  Well  might 
Lalitha  hide  her  face ;  she  beheld,  for  the  first 
time,  Amytis,  the  daughter  of  Astyages,  the 
dreaded  Queen  of  Babylon. 


CHAPTER  III. 

WHEN  the  brazen  gate  had  closed  upon  such 
as  the  King  of  Spirits  allowed  within  his  sacred 
court,  a  young  man  was  seen  to  disengage  him- 
self from  the  crowd,  and  walk  briskly  away. 
He  had  been  a  spectator  of  the  pageant.  He 
had  witnessed  the  rescue,  and  he  had  strained 
his  eyes  to  note  the  features  of  the  girl.  His 
face  had  taken  on  an  expression  of  benevolent 
satisfaction  when  the  deed  was  accomplished. 
But  when  the  excitement  was  over,  and  the  pro- 
cession had  disappeared  behind  the  wall,  the 
young  man,  with  a  sad  and  thoughtful  mien,  left 
the  place,  and  walked  back  over  the  same  road 
towards  the  palace  of  the  king.  People  whis- 
pered to  each  other  as  he  passed.  Some  bowed 
reverently,  and  many  a  maiden  put  on  a  coquet- 
tish air  to  attract  his  attention.  But  he  passed 
indifferently  by;  his  robe  swayed  behind  him 
as  he  strode  the  tessellated  pavement. 

His  garment  was  not  dyed,  according  to  the 
custom  of  the  place,  nor  was  it  marked  by  heavy 
embroideries.  Cleansed  to  a  curious  whiteness 
by  the  fuller,  its  sternness  was  relieved  by  a 


TEE  MASTER    OF   THE   MAGICIANS.  27 

scroll-work  of  gold  along  the  border.  If  one 
had  looked  nearer,  he  would  have  recognized 
characters  within  the  pattern.  The  scholar 
would  have  pronounced  them  Hebrew.  A  hand- 
kerchief of  the  finest  linen  was  worn  loosely, 
like  a  turban.  At  this  season  of  the  year,  a 
light  covering  was  ample  protection  from  the 
perpendicular  rays  of  the  sun.  The  youth  wore 
shoes  that  curved  upward  at  the  toe.  These 
were  colored  a  dull  red  and  had  no  latchets. 
He  was  conspicuous  as  the  only  one  on  the  street 
without  a  cane.  Every  movement  of  this  young 
man's  was  aristocratic.  The  refinement  and  in- 
telligence of  his  face  revealed  high  birth ;  his 
grace,  the  courtier  ;  but  his  simplicity  and  utter 
disregard  of  all  the  frippery  of  the  day  gave 
an  unconscious  rebuke  to  the  jeunesse  doree  of 
Babylon.  This  man  was  no  free  Babylonian. 
He  was  a  captive  and  a  Jew  ;  since  the  last  con- 
quest of  Jerusalem,  the  most  distinguished  pris- 
oner-of-war known  to  Babylon.  This  captive, 
who  had  already  made  such  a  stir  at  court,  was 
known  to  his  countrymen  by  the  name  of  Daniel. 
They  called  him  the  representative  of  God,  the 
most  beautiful  of  all  the  sons  of  Judah.  But 
Babylon  had  given  a  title  of  its  own,  half  affec- 
tionate and  half  sarcastic,  to  this  upstart  whom 
the  king  honored.  They  named  him  Balatsu- 
usur,  "  May  Bel  protect  his  life." 


28  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

When  Daniel  came  to  the  Shebil  canal,  he 
was  challenged  by  the  guards  who  protected  the 
drawbridge,  but  in  giving  the  sign  with  his  left 
hand  he  was  as  usual  passed  with  a  salute,  which 
he  courteously  returned.  He  was  now  within 
Nebuchadrezzar's  private  pleasure  -  grounds. 
Two  large  palaces  glittered  before  him.  Foun- 
tains abounded  ;  streams  of  water  dripped  with 
a  pleasant  lisp  into  cool  basins.  Well-culti- 
vated trees  stood  in  groups,  with  a  stately  air, 
like  princes  ;  in  their  luxuriant  leaves  the  breeze 
stirred  deferentially.  The  hot  air  was  moistened 
and  grateful.  The  broad  avenue  of  the  gar- 
dens divided  into  three  parts  ;  one  went  straight 
through  a  wall  into  the  court-yard  of  the  great 
palace.  This  wall  was  a  hundred  feet  high 
and  fifty  broad,  and  was  calculated  to  impress 
the  visitor  with  his  own  insignificance  and  the 
supremacy  of  the  king.  Another  way  skirted 
to  the  right  among  cool  shrubbery,  and  then 
mounted  by  steps  to  the  embankment  of  a  huge 
reservoir  with  a  long  name  (the  Yapur  Shapu), 
that  protected  the  grounds  upon  the  east,  and 
afforded  continual  refreshment  against  the  ter- 
rible summer  heat.  The  third  arm  of  the  ave- 
nue passed  westward  a  few  hundred  feet,  until 
it  reached  the  Euphrates  itself,  the  god-given 
river  of  Sippara.  Daniel  chose  this  latter  road, 
and  soon  reached  the  brick  quay  that  protected 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  29 

the  banks  from  encroachments  by  flood.  This 
brick  wall  formed  an  important  feature  of  the 
defenses  of  the  palace  fortress.  Military  watch- 
towers  frowned  upon  it.  The  wall  was  used  as 
a  favorite  promenade  by  the  king  and  those 
whom  the  king  honored.  Many  feet  beneath 
flowed  the  river.  Boats  shot  across  it  like  busy 
thoughts. 

Daniel  walked  on  until  he  came  to  the  stone 
bridge  spanning  the  river  which  separated  the 
greater  from  the  lesser  palace.  His  eyes  looked 
over  this  long  masterpiece  of  engineering  to- 
wards the  west.  They  had  a  pathetic  expres- 
sion. Beyond  the  river  was  the  desert,  and  be- 
yond the  desert  was  home,  his  birthplace,  the 
city  of  Jerusalem.  He  loitered  on  the  bridge 
sadly.  A  carved  lion  arrested  his  attention,  and 
he  stopped  and  mused  before  it ;  it  was  an  ex- 
cellent piece  of  sculpture,  and  he  gave  to  it  the 
naive  interest  of  the  Jew,  to  whom  "  graven  im- 
ages "  were  forbidden  sources  of  culture.  The 
beast  was  bending  over  a  man  held  in  a  mighty 
clutch :  one  paw  tortured  him  ;  the  other  was 
raised  to  strike.  Daniel's  homesick  imagination 
saw  in  this  painted  carving  the  emblem  of  Baby- 
lon, which  had  crushecLhis  country  underfoot, 
and  was  ready  to  smite  it  again. 

"  How  long !  How  long  !  "  murmured  the 
captive.  As  he  leaned  over  the  parapet,  hot 


30  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

tears  of  impotent  bitterness  fell  into  the  water 
below. 

Daniel  was  one  of  the  very  few  Jews  who  at 
the  court  of  Babylon  had  preserved  their  national 
characteristics  unscorched  by  the  splendor  and 
luxury  to  which  their  sensuous  natures  deeply 
responded  ;  and  who  had  kept  their  religious 
spirit  unsullied  in  the  midst  of  a  ceremonious 
devotion  to  any  one  of  a  thousand  gods  one  felt 
pleased  to  choose  ;  who  were  fiery  patriots,  ready 
to  disregard  a  royal  command  for  conscience' 
sake,  at  peril  to  position  or  to  life.  It  was  a 
well-known  fact,  the  talk  of  the  court,  the  thing 
which  first  brought  him  into  prominence,  that 
he  refused  to  eat  the  dainties  and  wines  served 
directly  from  the  king's  table  ;  he  lived  upon 
fruit  and  vegetables  alone,  to  the  extreme  fear 
of  Allit  Arioch,  the  captain  of  the  guards,  who, 
by  reason  of  his  position,  was  responsible  not 
only  for  the  health  but  even  the  good  looks  of 
the  Jewish  prince.  But  Allit  the  Tall  was 
bound  to  acknowledge  that  the  young  vegeta- 
rian grew  fairer  and  fatter  than  all  other  youths 
fed  richly  from  the  king's  table.  In  point  of 
fact,  Daniel  had  an  abhorrence  for  the  practice 
of  the  court  in  the  dedication  of  food.  Not  a 
mouthful  appeared  before  the  king  but  had  been 
consecrated  to  some  heathen  god  or  other.  Dan- 
iel would  not  eat  idolatrous  banquets ;  he  pre- 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  31 

ferred  vegetables  and  hunger  ;  and  the  jeers  of 
his  fellow-captives  did  not  swerve  him  by  the 
length  of  a  grasshopper's  beak  from  his  strenu- 
ous purpose. 

Now,  Daniel  had  unconsciously  won  recogni- 
tion in  another  way.  For  so  young  a  man  he 
was  eminent  as  a  scholar  ;  quick  in  acquiring  a 
difficult  language,  and  the  science  of  the  obser- 
vation of  the  stars  contained  therein  ;  adapted 
general  culture  by  an  intuitive  graciousness ; 
ready  to  yield  to  foreign  customs  when  a  matter 
of  religion  was  not  involved.  In  addition  to 
these  qualities,  which  commanded  the  highest 
esteem  in  Babylon,  where  learning  and  savoir 
faire  were  more  highly  prized  than  at  any  other 
court,  Daniel  was  a  dreamer.  Like  Joseph  of 
old,  he  had  strange  visions  and  told  them  to 
no  one.  This  habit  of  communing  with  a  world 
beyond  the  visible  had  given  him  peculiar  eyes. 
They  were  un-Jewish  ;  they  were  long,  and  at 
once  full  and  narrow ;  they  were  gray,  one 
might  almost  say  greem  They  appeared  unob- 
servant of  passing  detail.  When  they  looked 
at  one,  they  -seemed  to  gaze  upon  the  image  cast 
within.  They  were  not  sparkling,  but  had  an 
iridescence.  The  pupils  were  always  dilated,  as 
if  they  groped  in  the  dark.  In  contrast,  the 
bright  color  of  his  face  was  impressive.  His  as- 
pect gave  significance  to  a  phrase  in  the  writings 


32  THE  MASTER    OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

of  his  people,  "  the  light  of  his  countenance ; >J 
for  in  the  company  of  other  men  he  shone  like  a 
torch. 

As  Daniel  stood  leaning  over  the  bridge,  he 
fell,  not  for  the  first  time  nor  the  last,  in  his 
nervously  excited  history,  into  a  state  which  was 
nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  trance.  He  was 
looking  at  the  motion  of  the  water  below.  Its 
quiver  fascinated  him.  The  sparkle  of  the 
water  flooded  his  brain  as  a  crystal  ball  swung 
in  the  air  affects  a  mesmeric  subject.  The  light 
grew  within  him  until  he  was  faint.  Daniel  was 
in  another  world,  although  his  eyes  were  open, 
and  he  seemed  to  be  altogether  in  this.  To 
a  casual  observer,  nothing  unusual  had  taken 
place  ;  probably  the  young  seer  could  have  ex- 
plained the  mystery  of  such  a  vision  no  better 
than  we. 

Now,  as  Daniel  stood  entranced,  a  fat  man 
waddled  toward  him  from  the  king's  greater  pal- 
ace. This  creature  was  short,  puffy,  and  held  a 
stout  stick  in  his  right  hand.  His  fingers  were 
covered  with  rings.  In  his  left  he  grasped  a  long 
fringed  scarf,  which  hung  loosely  before  and  be- 
hind, passing  over  the  left  shoulder ;  tassels  of 
dark  Tyrian  purple  swung  from  each  end  of  this 
scarf.  His  dress  was  highly  colored,  and  con- 
spicuous for  an  embroidered  cross-belt,  that 
passed  under  the  right  arm  and  over  the  left 


THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  33 

shoulder,  and  also  for  an  exquisite  girdle  about 
the  waist.  His  face  was  beardless,  and  his  head 
and  feet  were  bare.  Such  was  Ashpenaz,  the 
prince  of  eunuchs,  as  he  salaamed  before  the 
dreamer.  At  that  moment  he  had  an  air  of 
lordly  command  that  would  have  been  ridiculous 
in  any  other  eunuch  but  Ashpenaz.  His  head 
wagged  solemnly.  lie  was  theatrically  conscious 
of  his  official  importance.  He  was  perhaps  a 
bit  embarrassed  as  he  stopped  behind  Daniel,  and 
his  fat  fingers  tightened  on  his  scarf,  his  badge 
of  authority,  with  a  resolute  grip. 

Ashpenaz  gave  an  important  cough  to  attract 
the  attention  of  the  absorbed  Jew.  There  was 
no  answer.  The  eunuch  tapped  his  cane  on  the 
pavement  impatiently,  but  no  response  came. 
He  glanced  over  his  shoulder  to  see  if  any  one 
were  looking,  advanced  cautiously,  and  touched 
Daniel  with  his  stick.  The  seer  did  not  stir. 
Ashpenaz  was  out  of  temper  at  this  delay.  He 
plucked"  up  courage,  and,  taking  the  prince  of 
Israel  by  the  arm,  £ave  him  a  vigorous  shake. 

*/  '    O  O 

This  interruption  had  the  desired  effect.  The 
young  man  turned,  towered  above  the  chief 
eunuch,  and  bent  upon  him  sightless,  open  eyes. 
Ashpenaz  shuddered  and  grew  pale.  Pie  was  in 
the  habit  of  saying  that  he  did  not  believe  in 
seers  ;  which  meant  then,  as  it  is  apt  to  in  all 
ages,  that  he  was  particularly  afraid  of  them. 


34  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

Collecting  himself  with  a  spurt  of  bravado,  Ash- 
penaz  made  out  to  mutter,  — 

"  The  queen  —  Amytis  the  queen  would  see 
thee  immediately." 

This  word  had  a  marked  effect  upon  Daniel. 
He  stretched  out  his  hands  in  a  warning  gesture, 
and,  in  a  low  tone  that  struck  awe  to  the  heart 
of  the  now  thoroughly  uncomfortable  eunuch, 
exclaimed,  — • 

"  The  queen  ?  Amytis  the  queen  ?  She  shall 
meet  her  doom  betiveen  heaven  and  earth" 

The  young  man  stopped,  put  his  hands  before 
his  face  as  if  brushing  away  an  unwelcome 
sight,  tottered,  sighed,  and  then  awoke.  Look- 
ing about  in  amazement,  he  recognized  where  he 
was.  Ashpenaz  stood  before  him  in  an  attitude 
of  unusual  deference  and  fear. 

"Ah,  my  friend,"  said  Daniel  courteously. 
"1  am  afraid  that  I  wandered  for  a  moment. 
What  can  I  do  for  you  to-day  ?  The  king  has 
returned,  I  see.  There  will  be  gay  times  and 
much  building  now.  Is  he  well  ?  " 

"My  Lord  Balatsu-usur !  Why  didst  thou 
give  me  such  a  fright  ?  When  I  gave  thee  the 
message  of  the  queen,  thou  didst  look  and  say 
—  but  I  dare  not  repeat  it.  The  queen  wishes 
thy  counsel  immediately.  I  am  ordered  to  sum- 
mon thee  to  her  presence." 

Ashpenaz  stopped  with  a  wheeze,  and  looked 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  35 

at  liis  companion  cautiously,  as  if   in   fear  of 
another  ill-omened  retort.     Daniel  only  said  — 

"  Let  it  be  done  ;  I  come." 

But  as  he  strode  along  his  face  darkened  and 
his  lips  tightened.  Daniel  had  a  genuine  affec- 
tion for  the  king,  and  but  scant  respect  for  the 
royal  consort.  Amytis  was  not  a  Babylonian, 
but  a  Mede.  She  was  the  price  of  peace  be- 
tween the  two  great  empires  that  divided  the 
Assyrian  spoil.  She  had  come  willingly,  for 
she  was  then  but  a  child.  But  now  she  was  in 
the  full  sway  of  feminine  caprice.  Beloved 
after  a  fashion  by  Nebuchadrezzar,  who  cared 
more  for  the  construction  of  memorable  temples 
and  palaces  than  for  the  lures  of  women,  and 
more  for  the  gods  than  for  either,  she  was  rest- 
lessly dissatisfied  with  herself  and  all  about  her. 
She  had  been  reared  in  the  cool  mountains  ;  she 
hated  the  lowlands  and  the  heat.  Her  home- 
sickness, or  what  passed  for  such,  served  as  an 
excuse  for  every  fit  of  petulance  or  flitting  freak. 
At  present  she  was  wearied,  and  desired  to  be 
amused.  Daniel  was  the  latest  craze  at  court, 
and  so  he  was  summoned.  This  was  no  secret. 
The  young  captive  understood  it  perfectly. 
Though  but  twenty-two  years  of  age,  he  had 
learned  to  keep  his  social  discoveries  to  himself. 
He  had  met  Amytis  frequently,  but  this  was 
the  first  time  that  he  had  been  ordered  to  a 


36  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

private  audience.  Her  mood  might  load  him 
with  chains,  or  exalt  him  to  dangerous  honors. 

The  two  had  now  left  the  bridge,  and  were 
passing  through  the  garden.  It  was  about  mid- 
day. Had  it  been  two  months  later,  the  heat 
would  have  been  unendurable.  As  it  was,  the 
sun  burned  furiously,  and  both  men  were  glad 
of  a  halt  to  refresh  themselves  at  a  stream  that 
was  carried  artificially  beside  the  path,  beneath 
a  cluster  of  orange-trees.  Neither  spoke,  and 
after  a  brief  rest  Daniel  made  a  silent  motion 
indicating  that  he  wished  to  proceed  through  the 
bronze  gate  that  swung  against  the  wall.  This 
huge  wall  was  the  last  fortification  to  the  inner 
palaces  of  the  king.  Within  the  inclosure  an- 
other large  garden  blossomed  gayly.  Two  pal- 
aces glittered  down  upon  the  flowers.  The  most 
famous  of  these  was  built  by  the  king  in  fifteen 
days. 

In  the  garden  of  the  king  was  a  beautiful 
shrine  dedicated  to  Bel-Merodach,  Nebuchadrez- 
zar's favorite  divinity.  Daniel  and  Ashpenaz 
passed  through  the  guarded  wall,  and  mounted 
the  platform  of  the  palace.  Entering,  they 
walked  rapidly  by  halls  of  state  and  private 
apartments  until  they  came  to  that  portion  of 
the  new  palace  which  contained  the  apartments 
of  the  women  of  the  court.  This  looked  di- 
rectly down  upon  the  queen's  private  gardens 


THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  37 

and  over  into  the  Shebil  canal.  Aslipenaz  now 
left  Daniel  in  a  vestibule,  and  hastened  to  an- 
nounce his  approach.  This  was  Daniel's  first 
introduction  into  the  harem  of  the  king.  He 
did  not  wait  long.  In  a  moment  the  eunuch 
appeared,  put  his  fingers  to  his  lips,  and  said,  — 
"  The  queen  awaits  thee ;  follow  me." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

SUSA  was  almost  beside  himself  at  the  dignity 
of  his  new  position.  Boys  of  his  age  were 
thrust  aside  in  Babylon,  and  treated  as  mere 
infants  until  they  assumed  the  flowing  manly 
robe,  and  brushed  their  forelock  aside  in  token 
of  their  having  come  of  age.  Whether  they 
were  teething  or  studying  astrology,  they  were 
as  subject  to  their  parents  as  the  meanest  slave ; 
life  itself  was  at  the  disposal  of  the  child's  father. 
This  was  Susa's  first  responsibility,  and  he 
strutted  beside  the  litter  of  the  faint  girl  impor- 
tantly. Every  now  and  then  he  pushed  his  head 
with  boyish  familiarity,  but  quite  respectfully, 
behind  the  curtains  and  asked  her  how  she  was. 
Lalitha  answered  cheerfully ;  the  boy  was  not 
old  enough  to  know  whether  she  were  really 
hurt  or  not.  As  he  walked  beside  her  he  chat- 
tered continually  ;  he  told  her  about  the  prowess 
of  Allit,  and  assured  her  that  his  brother  was 
in  the  habit  of  doing  just  such  favors  to  pretty 
maidens  every  day. 

"  Indeed  ?  "  said  Lalitha  demurely. 

It  was  not  far  to  the  modest  house  of  Mutusa- 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  39 

ill,  but  before  they  were  there  a  cry  of  pain  was 
heard  from  the  litter.  The  motion,  gentle  as  it 
was,  had  been  too  much  for  the  wounded  foot. 
The  bandage  had  slipped,  and  blood  was  slowly 
trickling  from  an  ugly  wound  in  the  heel.  The 
girl  was  evidently  suffering.  Susa  held  her 
quivering  hand  with  pleasant  boyish  kindness. 
He  ordered  the  bearers  to  push  on  and  up  to 
the  house  unceremoniously.  The  door  was 
flung  open,  and  the  venerable  figure  of  Lalitha's 
father  appeared.  His  white  beard  flowed  to  his 
waist,  and  his  long  hair  waved  in  the  delicate 
breeze ;  it  lay  like  a  nimbus  about  his  dark, 
emaciated  face.  He  was  pale  with  alarm.  La- 
litha  reached  her  arms  out  of  the  litter  toward 
her  father  with  a  pretty,  courageous  gesture. 

"Dear  father,  I  have  only  hurt  my  foot  a 
little ;  I  am  well  and  safe.  I  almost  can  walk. 
See ! " 

She  tried  to  place  her  foot  upon  the  ground, 
and  gave  a  low  cry  of  anguish.  Mutusa-ili  did 
not  speak  a  word.  With  the  self-possession  of 
his  race  and  his  experience,  he  gathered  his 
daughter  silently  into  his  arms,  and  bore  her  to 
the  house.  Love  put  strength  into  his  spare 
frame.  He  was  father  and  mother  to  Lalitha. 

As  the  girl  passed  from  sight  over  the  thresh- 
old she  waved  her  hand  to  Susa,  who  stood  dis- 
consolately beside  the  litter.  But  Mutusa-ili 


40  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

noticed  him  no  more  than  if  he  had  been  one  of 
the  slaves ;  he  was  so  used  to  the  boy. 

When  Lalitha  was  laid  upon  a  couch  in  an 
inner  chamber  she  turned  her  face  to  the  wall, 
and  the  scenes  of  the  past  hour  rolled  like  a  ball 
through  her  brain.  Her  father  did  not  discuss 
the  accident.  He  gave  her  a  cooling  drink,  and 
proceeded  to  investigate  the  wound,  and  by  an 
application  of  pounded  roots  to  relieve  the  pain. 
The  hurt  was  severe.  Lalitha  would  not  be  able 
to  walk  for  a  long  time. 

"  How  didst  thou  happen  to  meet  my  pupil, 
Susa  ?  "  asked  Mutusa-ili,  when  he  had  come  to 
the  end  of  such  surgery  as  he  knew.  It  was  his 
first  question. 

"  His  brother,  the  captain  of  the  king's  guard, 
snatched  me  from  under  the  hoofs  of  the  horses, 
and  Susa  brought  me  home,"  said  Lalitha.  It 
was  her  only  answer.  It  seemed  to  her  as  if 
she  said  a  great  deal.  It  seemed  to  the  old  man 
as  if  she  had  said  more  than  she  had.  He  re- 
garded her  piercingly. 

"  Dear  father  !  "  said  Lalitha,  laughing. 
"What  have  I  done?" 

"  Thou  hast  lived  to  bless  me,"  said  the  old 
man  tremulously. 

With  moist  eyes  he  sat  by  his  daughter's 
couch.  She  kissed  his  withered  hand,  while 
he  played  with  her  hair  and  stroked  her  cheek. 


THE  MASTER    OF    THE  MAGICIANS.  41 

As  lie  fondled  her,  his  dark  eyes  seemed  to  the 
girl  to  dilate.  She  could  not  take  her  own  gaze 
from  his.  As  he  lightly  waved  his  hand  over 
her  forehead,  he  muttered  words  in  a  strange 
tongue.  Her  eyes  closed.  When  he  stooped 
and  kissed  her  forehead  the  pain  was  forgotten. 
The  excitement  had  passed.  The  girl  slept. 

Mutusa-ili,  teacher,  student,  astrologer,  and 
seer,  an  unworldly  man,  had  family  connections 
of  the  most  worldly  sort.  He  was,  in  fact,  no 
other  than  own  brother  to  the  great  Egibi,  head 
of  the  banking  firm  of  Egibi  and  Sons,  famous 
to  all  Babylonian  history,  the  richest  bankers  of 
their  age.  At  present,  Egibi  was  the  treasurer 
of  the  state.  He  lived  in  a  lordly  mansion, 
that  compared  well  enough  with  some  of  the 
king's  palaces ;  it  had,  in  fact,  been  at  one  time 
used  as  the  residence  of  the  governor  of  Babylon, 
and  was  the  most  imposing  private  house  in  the 
gorgeous  city.  But  the  poor  relation,  like  the 
poor  relation  of  all  ages,  was  none  the  better  for 
the  wealth  and  importance  of  his  brother.  The 
two  men  had  gone  their  several  ways :  Egibi  to 
his  fortune  and  fame ;  Mutusa-ili  to  the  scant 
luxuries  and  severe  seclusion  of  the  scholar. 

The  home  of  Lalitha  was  a  simple  place,  only 
one  story  high.  It  stood  in  a  quiet  court,  and 
had  a  little  tower.  In  the  daytime  an  awning- 
protected  the  tower  from  the  sun,  and  night 


42  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

found  it  a  cool  retreat.  Bright  flowers  and 
vines  grew  luxuriantly  over  the  tower,  which 
had  a  gay,  jaunty  appearance,  like  a  well-dressed 
girl.  Here  was  Lalitha's  private  garden.  Be- 
neath was  her  own  room,  and  directly  adjoining 
that  the  room  of  the  elderly  woman-servant, 
Kisrinni  by  name,  who  played  duenna  to  the 
motherless  girl.  The  walls  of  the  house  were 
thick,  and  the  bricks  were  large,  each  stamped 
with  the  name  of  the  king.  For  the  king  owned 
many  of  the  brick-yards,  and  part  of  his  rev- 
enue was  made  by  selling  bricks  to  his  subjects 
at  cheaper  rates  than  any  one  else  could  manu- 
facture them.  There  were  no  windows  in  La- 
litha's room,  but  light  was  diffused  from  a 
square  opening  in  the  roof  above.  During  the 
heat  of  the  day  this  was  covered,  so  as  to  ex- 
clude the  sun,  but  not  the  light. 

The  other  part  of  the  house  was  the  master's. 
Ever  since  his  wife  had  died,  Mutusa-ili  had 
lived  in  secluded  rooms  alone,  and  only  his 
daughter  approached  them.  In  one  he  slept; 
in  another  he  kept  his  library,  carefully  stowed 
away  in  earthen  jars ;  his  astronomical  instru- 
ments were  there,  jealously  guarded.  The  roof 
of  this  study,  or  laboratory,  rose  in  a  cone. 
Steps  of  bricks  jutted  from  the  wall,  leading  to 
the  top  of  this  cone.  The  steps  protruded  by 
less  than  two  feet,  and  there  were  no  banis- 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  43 

ters  to  support  the  hand.  It  looked  almost  im- 
possible to  a  stranger  to  mount  these  stairs,  but 
they  were  as  sufficient  to  the  aged  scholar  as  the 
stone  steps  that  led  majestically  up  the  platform 
of  the  temple  of  Bel.  The  top  of  the  cone,  which 
was  barely  large  enough  for  two  or  three  per- 
sons to  stand  upon  comfortably,  was  the  watch- 
tower  of  the  sage.  It  was  here  that  he  observed 
and  calculated  the  stars  and  their  courses.  It 
was  here  that  the  devout  seer  knelt  in  prayer. 
It  was  here  that  the  mystic  received  those  reve- 
lations that  gave  him  his  coveted  influence  in 
Babylon.  It  was  to  this  secluded  spot,  screened 
from  view  by  a  high  terra-cotta  railing,  that 
Mutusa-ili  mounted  on  the  night  of  his  daugh- 
ter's rescue.  He  held  in  his  hand  a  disk  of 
black  stone,  on  which  quaint  figures  were  in- 
scribed. In  the  centre  of  the  diagram  were 
carved  the  sun,  the  crescent  moon,  the  star 
Venus,  and  the  thunderbolt  of  Mars.  The  edge 
of  the  design  held  the  scorpion,  the  bull,  the  ram, 
the  serpent,  the  clog,  the  arrow,  the  eagle,  each 
surrounded  by  its  mysterious  sign,  known  only 
to  the  initiated  student  of  the  constellations. 

When  Mutusa-ili  had  reached  the  platform, 
he  laid  the  precious  planisphere  upon  a  small 
table,  and  took  from  his  pocket  what  looked  like 
a  wooden  tube.  This  he  leveled  upon  the  heav- 
ens with  diligent  search.  After  a  time  he  took 


44  THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

his  eye  from  this  strange  instrument,  and  began 
to  trace  some  curious  figures  carefully  upon 
soft  clay.  Mutusa-ili  was  an  ardent  astrologer. 
Brought  up  under  Chaldean  or  priestly  instruc- 
tion, he  had  far  outstripped  his  contemporaries 
in  astronomical  researches.  No  one  understood 
how  to  predict  an  eclipse  better  than  he.  He 
had  made  the  most  valuable  discoveries  of  his 
time  by  means  of  this  instrument  which  he  was 
now  holding  in  his  hand.  Pondering  upon  the 
properties  of  the  magnifying-glass,  he  had  natu- 
rally discovered  its  opposite.  Mutusa-ili  had,  in 
fact,  invented  the  telescope.1  By  its  aid  he  was 
now  making  a  new  chart  of  the  heavens.  When 
he  had  shown  to  Nebuchadrezzar  the  satellites  of 
Saturn  and  of  Jupiter,  the  delighted  monarch 
would  have  raised  him  to  a  princely  rank,  but 
the  scholar  declined  to  leave  his  simple  life.  For 
Mutusa-ili  was  a  mystic,  and  what  mystic  can  be 
a  courtier  ?  The  young  seer,  Daniel,  was  try- 
ing to  solve  that  problem.  The  old  man  aban- 
doned it  outright. 

Mutusa-ili  believed  implicitly  in  his  own  abil- 
ity to  predict  the  occultation  of  a  planet ;  he 
was  no  less  assured  that  the  stars  were  the  in- 
fallible heralds  of  fortune  to  men,  be  it  good  or 
ill.  It  was  he  whom  Nebuchadrezzar  had  been 
used  to  consult  in  every  expedition  or  great  un- 

1  Rawlinson's  Fourth  Monarchy,  chap.  5. 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  45 

dertaking.  Mutusa-ili  was  at  least  an  honest 
diviner.  He  trustfully  regulated  his  own  life 
and  that  of  his  household  upon  the  results  of 
each  night's  observation.  These  he  carefully 
wrote  down,  and  the  records  were  kept  in  sealed 
jars  until  the  fall  of  the  holy  city. 

Mutusa-ili  was  now  casting,  for  the  fiftieth 
time,  the  horoscope  of  his  daughter.  He  was 
unmanned  by  the  events  of  the  day.  They  had 
found  him  completely  unprepared.  Why  had 
his  art  failed  him  ?  Why  did  he  not  know  that 
his  darling  was  at  the  point  of  destruction  ? 
"  Surely  the  night-hawk  troubled  my  soul  yes- 
terday," muttered  the  old  man,  as  he  bent  ner- 
vously to  his  occult  calculations.  Would  Lalitha 
recover  from  her  wound  ?  Did  the  presence  of 
the  astral  house  of  Allit  foretell  peace  or  war, 
power  or  love  ? 

Astrology  was  Mutusa-ili's  hobby,  nay,  his 
weakness.  In  his  way,  he  was  a  powerful  skep- 
tic. He  repudiated  the  prevalent  belief  in 
omens  that  directed  one's  hourly  acts.  He 
laughed  at  those  who  were  controlled  by  the 
presence  of  a  white  dog  in  the  house  or  the  posi- 
tion of  a  mule's  foot  in  death.  He  held  these 
superstitions  as  degrading.  There  was  no  science 
in  them,  and  that  was  the  end  of  it.  But  astrol- 
ogy was  the  bride  of  a  great  intellect. 

Mutusa-ili  was  of  Jewish  descent.     His  family 


46  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

had  been  in  Babylon  for  two  hundred  years. 
After  his  ancestors  had  been  torn  from  their 
country  and  transplanted  to  this  hot-house  soil, 
they  had  gradually  succumbed  to  the  Babylonian 
customs  and  religion.  Yet  these  apostate  fam- 
ilies had  religiously  intermarried,  preserving  the 
purity  of  their  blood  and  some  of  their  tradi- 
tions. Probably  not  a  dozen  people  knew  that 
Egibi,  the  powerful  banker  prince,  was  a  Jew, 
and  that  Egibi,  being  translated,  meant  Jacob. 
Surely  not  five  understood  that  Mutusa-ili,  the 
Babylonian  sage,  the  interpreter  of  the  mys- 
teries of  the  heavens  and  of  the  gods,  was  of 
the  conquered  race,  and  that  his  honored  name 
was  but  the  Babylonian  synonym  for  Methu- 
selah. Not  even  Lalitha,  his  only  child,  had 
suspected,  until  less  than  a  year  ago,  that  her 
father  was  not  of  the  priestly  class,  a  Chaldee 
of  the  Chaldeans.  One  day  he  told  her.  For, 
he  said :  "  Thou  art  no  longer  a  child,  and  I  may 
not  deceive  thee." 

Mutusa-ili  was  a  wavering  man,  in  a.  strange 
position.  A  Jew,  and  yet  not  a  Jew,  in  a  thou- 
sand ways  he,  like  his  influential  brother,  light- 
ened the  load  of  those  who  had  recently  come 
as  captives  from  Jerusalem.  The  Egibi  had 
not  the  paltry  nature  of  those  who,  when  alien- 
ated from  their  nation,  sink  into  its  habitual 
foes.  These  good  men  were  the  greatest  bene- 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  47 

factors  that  the  poor  Jewish  slaves  had  in 
Babylon,  and  it  was  through  their  persistent 
and  diplomatic  intercession  at  court  that  the 
burdens  of  the  mechanics  were  lightened.  Some 
prominent  captive  families  were  even  granted 
land  outside  the  city  gates,  for  homes. 

Daniel  had  been  a  fortunate  captive  from 
the  first.  When,  with  hundreds  of  others,  he  ar- 
rived in  the  city,  homesick,  forlorn,  and  friend- 
less, he  had  attracted  the  attention  of  Mutusa- 
ili.  Through  the  scholar's  mediation,  the  young 
man  and  three  of  his  companions  were  edu- 
cated at  the  university  of  the  king.  Mutusa-ili 
had  been  enthusiastic  in  the  matter  of  Daniel's 
culture,  and  the  result  had  justified  his  benevo- 
lent whim.  Daniel  had  come  to  Babylon  thor- 
oughly equipped  for  new  instruction.  Young 
as  he  was,  he  had  already  exhausted  the  wis- 
dom of  the  rabbis,  whose  knowledge  consisted 
in  the  interpretation  of  a  few  books  of  law, 
barely  large  enough  to  cover  a  hundred  tablets 
of  clay.  Mutusa-ili  had  devoted  himself,  body 
and  soul,  to  this  lovable  youth.  At  the  end  of 
a  three  years'  course  of  instruction,  Daniel  stood 
preeminent  among  his  fellow-pupils. 

But  the  teacher  was  afraid  of  his  scholar. 
Daniel  probed  him  too  deeply  with  questions 
which  he  could  not  answer.  The  sage  of  Baby- 
lon had  to  acknowledge  to  himself  that  he  was 


48  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

as  a  babe  before  that  Jewish  youth,  whose  un- 
youthful  eyes  read  right  through  his  head  into 
his  heart. 

One  day,  when  the  teacher  had  been  expound- 
ing to  his  pupil  the  grandeur  of  the  temple  of 
Bel  and  the  power  of  Merodach,  the  young  man 
interrupted  him  :  — 

"What  is  Bel-Merodach,  O  my  master?  He 
lacketh  the  proof  of  godliness.  Jehovah  is  not 
made  of  gold,  but  he  could  lead  my  people  out 
of  Egypt,  as  he  can  out  of  Babylon,  in  his  own 
good  time.  What  has  Bel  done?  What  can 
the  golden  god  perform  ?  " 

Mutusa-ili  was  silent.  In  the  voice  of  the  lad, 
his  own  conscience,  dormant  for  seventy  years, 
awoke.  What  could  Bel  do  ? 

At  another  time,  in  the  midst  of  a  heavy 
discourse  upon  the  nature  of  the  worship  of 
Ishtar,  Daniel  gravely  propounded  a  startling 
query :  — 

"  Do  the  groves  of  Ishtar  keep  a  maiden 
pure?" 

Mutusa-ili  shot  a  fiery  glance  at  the  young 
man. 

"  Thou  speakest,"  he  said  sternly,  "  of  mat- 
ters which  are  beyond  thy  years  and  the  under- 
standing thereof." 

"  I  can  understand  the  whiteness  of  woman," 
replied  the  youth,  with  a  gesture  of  beautiful 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE   MAGICIANS.  49 

obeisance,  "  and  I  perceive  that  the  worshiper 
of  Ishtar  respects  it  not.  The  shekels,  or  the 
land,  or  the  ass  of  his  neighbor,  —  these  he  re- 
specteth ;  but  not  his  wife  or  his  daughter. 
Babylon  has  become  a  reproach  among  nations, 
and  a  dishonor  to  all  mankind,  in  that  her 
daughters  are  not  chaste.  Wouldst  thou,  Mu- 
tusa-ili,  my  best  beloved  teacher,  allow  thy 
daughter  to  enter  the  grove  of  Ishtar  ?  " 

The  scholar  bowed  his  head,  and  for  very 
shame  made  no  answer  to  the  pupil.  How  could 
he  ?  For  thus  stood  the  shameful  law  of  Baby- 
lon :  that  every  woman  in  the  land,  for  once  in 
her  lifetime,  should  subject  herself,  in  the  name 
of  religion  and  of  the  custom  of  the  country, 
to  dishonors  of  which  the  pen  may  not  write. 
And  when  the  daughter  of  Mutusa-ili  came  to 
woman's  estate,  the  priestess  of  Ishtar  had  sent 
for  her,  that  she  should  visit  the  splendid  and 
abominable  shrine  of  the  goddess.  The  pitiable 
fact  was  that  the  girl's  father,  Babylonianized 
Jew  that  he  had  become,  for  very  lack  of  cour- 
age to  resist  the  current  of  society  on  which  he 
drifted,  might  even  have  yielded  to  the  stream, 
and  accepted  the  dishonor  of  his  house,  as  he 
did  other  incidents  of  captivity.  But  Lalitha 
had  settled  the  question  in  a  very  simple  way. 
The  high-spirited  and  pure-minded  girl  had 
flashed  a  dagger  before  the  old  man's  face,  and 


50  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

vowed  to  plunge  it  in  her  heart,  if  a  deed  like 
that  were  mentioned  in  her  presence  by  either 
gods  or  men.  Then  Mutusa-ili  asked  his  first 
favor  of  the  king,  —  that  his  daughter  might  be 
spared  by  the  law  of  the  land ;  nor  did  he  plead 
his  alien  blood. 

Daniel  had  scorched  the  soul  of  Mutusa-ili. 
The  young  man's  high  look  blazed  like  a  pillar 
of  fire  before  the  life  of  the  morally  feeble,  in- 
tellectual man.  The  two  loved  each  other.  Yet 
Daniel  made  110  effort  to  proselyte  Mutusa-ili, 
whom  he  supposed  to  be  a  Babylonian  of  the 
Babylonians. 

Mutusa-ili  was  troubled  in  spirit.  The  wor- 
ship of  what  Daniel  called  "  a  litter  of  gods  " 
was  becoming  more  and  more  unsatisfactory. 
In  his  old  age  he  yearned  for  the  stern,  un- 
compromising spirit  of  the  young  captive.  He 
cursed  his  father  and  those  before  him  that  they 
had  departed  from  the  worship  of  the  one  only 
God.  Each  night  he  consulted  the  stars  for  an- 
swers to  impossible  questions. 

What  had  Bel-Merodach  to  say  ?  What  was 
Ishtar's  whim  ?  Did  Jehovah  hear  ?  When 
should  he,  Mutusa-ili,  find  a  way  out  of  his  diffi- 
cult position  ?  What  planet  departed  from,  or 
defaulted  to  him  ?  What  sign  of  the  zodiac 
kindled  toward  him  ?  Should  he  renounce  ? 
Should  he  advance  ?  Could  the  denationalized 


THE  MASTER   OF  TEE  MAGICIANS.  51 

exile  become  a  patriot  ?  Must  the  man  of  books, 
and  dreams,  and  social  importance  sacrifice  him- 
self for  such  a  common  thing  as  religious  truth? 
Mutusa-ili  substituted  astrology  for  con- 
science, and  made  the  stars  do  the  work  of  com- 
mon sense.  As  he  leaned  over  his  calculations, 
on  the  top  of  the  conical  tower,  a  solitary,  strug- 
gling, picturesque  old  man,  the  full  moon  threw 
pale  fires  upon  his  head  ;  the  locks  that  escaped 
from  his  turban  seemed  phosphorescent.  He 
looked  like  a  spirit  beating  out  its  destiny  from 
fate  by  forces  that  might  become  his  slave  or 
his  master. 


CHAPTER  V. 

WHEN  Ashpenaz,  the  conductor  of  Daniel, 
had  impressively  enjoined  silence  upon  the 
young  man,  he  bade  him  follow.  They  passed 
through  an  entrance  guarded  by  fierce  attend- 
ants. These  bowed  low  and  grounded  their  jave- 
lins ;  a  deaf-mute  preceded  them.  The  three 
halted  before  a  portiere,  colored  yellow,  red,  and 
blue,  that  hung  from  the  high  ceiling  above,  and 
touched  the  floor  with  brilliant  rosettes  of  purple 
and  gold.  Here  the  deaf-mute  struck  a  bell ;  this 
was  soon  answered  from  within.  The  deaf-mute 
averted  his  face  and  drew  the  hangings  apart, 
that  the  two  might  enter. 

When  Daniel  passed  between  the  heavy  folds 
he  started  back,  as  if  he  had  been  smitten  in  the 
face.  He  was  in  what  seemed  to  him  a  long  gar- 
den. The  intoxicating  fragrance  of  a  thousand 

o  o 

flowers  puffed  in  his  face.  Added  to  this  stole 
the  overpowering  odor  of  frankincense,  precious 
and  penetrating  beyond  compare.  His  senses 
were  staggered.  The  warm  breath,  laden  with 
spices  from  Arabia  and  cinnamon  from  Ceylon, 
mounted  to  his  brain.  Before  him  he  saw, 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS.  53 

through  the  haze,  palm-trees  rise,  and  beneath 
them  shrubs,  with  flowers  of  burning  hues,  waved 
amorously  towards  fountains  that  tinkled  and 
cooled  the  air.  Rich  draperies  hung  sumptu- 
ously where  they  could,  while  hidden  music  of 
the  harp  and  flute  calmed  the  listener  to  lan- 
guor. Color,  scent,  sound,  and  beautiful  form 
had  played  the  witch  to  make  the  spot  alluring. 

Daniel  was  familiar  with  the  luxury  of  courts, 
but  of  such  a  sight  as  this  he  had  never  dreamed. 
This  unknown  life  was  jealously  guarded  from 
the  outer  world,  for  whom  it  was  death  to  enter 
unbidden  by  the  royal  hostess.  Daniel  might 
have  surrendered  to  the  scene  in  a  dreamy  way : 
it  was  a  fair  sight ;  he  was  weary  and  disheart- 
ened ;  for  once  in  his  life  he  would  have  been 
glad  to  clasp  a  lotus  blossom  to  his  breast  in 
heavy-lidded  revery. 

But,  at  the  sight  of  the  queen,  the  ascetic 
started.  He  had  seen  her  before.  All  Babylon 
was  familiar  with  her  beauty,  when  she  sat  011  the 
throne  before  the  people,  beside  the  king,  clad 
in  her  robes  of  state,  and  looking  down  haughtily 
like  a  handsome  sphinx.  But  this  was  Daniel's 
first  private  audience  with  the  queen.  As  he  en- 
tered the  presence  chamber,  Amytis  had  turned 
her  head,  looking  backward  from  the  couch  on 
which  she  lay,  and  motioning  her  fan-bearer  to 
cease.  Her  hair  swept  loosely  to  her  waist.  Her 


54  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

bare  arms  curled  above  her  head,  showing  a 
golden  serpent  that  wound  itself  about  her  wrist. 
Her  only  garment  was  a  leopard-skin,  caught 
about  one  shoulder,  and  extending  almost  to  her 
bare  feet.  The  blood  surged  into  Daniel's  face. 
He  would  away,  and  flee  this  polluted  atmos- 
phere, and  defy  the  Median  and  her  wiles !  The 
young  Jew  held  back ;  but  Ashpenaz  whispered : 
"  On  my  head,  thou  must  come."  For  now  the 
queen,  waving  Ashpenaz  back,  raised  herself 
languorously,  moved  her  blood-red  lips,  and  said, 
"  Come  hither,  fair  stranger  ;  or  art  thou  too 
wise  to  talk  to  so  frivolous  a  woman  as  I  ?  " 
As  the  queen  spoke,  she  slid  farther  into  the 
leopard  covering,  as  if  in  deference  to  the  stern 
look  of  disapproval  from  Daniel's  eyes. 

"  The  queen  has  commanded,  and  I  am  here," 
answered  the  young  man  coldly,  averting  his 
eyes  from  the  dangerous  sight  before  him.  The 
ear-rings  of  the  queen  glistened  merrily.  This 
evident  lack  of  adoration  was  new  to  her;  it 
amused  her,  and  she  spoke  good-naturedly  :  — 

"Ah!  So?  Well-  Did  I  not  spy  thee 
watching  the  procession  to-day  ?  Didst  thou  see 
the  king  ?  He  looks  weary  after  so  hard  an  ex- 
pedition. And  "  —  Amytis  'blushed  slightly  — 
"  and  what  thinkest  thou  of  the  victory  ?  Was 
it  well  snatched?  And,  prithee,  dost  thou  know 
who  saved  that  girl  from  the  chariot?  " 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  55 

Daniel  hardly  knew  which  question  to  answer 
first.  It  was  his  instinct,  not  his  knowledge  of 
women,  which  led  him  to  say  enthusiastically, 
with  brightening  face,  — 

"  Verily,  O  queen,  that  was  a  fine  deed !  The 
young  man  performed  what  no  other  in  Babylon 
could  have  done.  The  king  is  honored  by  Allit, 
his  captain." 

"  Oh,"  said  Amytis,  casting  her  eyes  down, 
"  any  one  of  the  guard  could  have  done  as  much, 
and  better  too,  perchance.  And  why  give  the 
quiver  of  an  eyelash  to  risk  one's  self  for  the 
sake  of  such  vulgar  clay  ?  " 

The  queen  angrily  tossed  her  head.  Her 
heavy  perfumed  hair  gave  forth  a  scent,  new  to 
Daniel  in  the  overpowering  catalogue  of  sweet 
odors  that  greeted  him  on  his  first  entrance.  He 
turned  abruptly  away  to  hide  his  displeasure. 
This  woman  before  him  represented  to  his  mind 
all  the  luxury  and  glamour  that  enchained  his 
people  to  magnificent  Babylon,  and  made  them 
traitors  to  their  country  and  their  God. 

Amytis,  observing  the  preoccupation  of  her 
visitor,  made  sign  to  a  slave  to  fetch  two  goblets 
of  Damascus  wine,  cooled  with  snow  from  the 
Zagros  mountains.  The  Jew  remained  standing, 
absorbed  in  thought. 

"  The  maiden  is  a  woman,"  he  said  at  length, 
"  and  the  captain  did  but  a  soldier's  duty  towards 
a  gentler  citizen." 


56  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

Daniel  spoke  firmly  and  very  respectfully,  but 
with  a  gentle  hesitation.  His  cheek,  generally 
so  pale  in  comparison  with  the  rich  and  swarthy 
coloring  of  the  Babylonian,  flushed  brilliantly 
for  a  moment,  and  then  the  color  died  away, 
leaving  him  as  white  as  a  lily.  Who  had  ever 
spoken  to  the  queen  like  this  before?  Only 
sweetmeats  dropped  from  the  lips  of  others  upon 
this  pampered  woman.  Nebuchadrezzar  loved 
her :  that  was  the  beginning  and  end  of  the  mat- 
ter. Who  rules  the  king  rules  the  kingdom.  A 
thousand  lives  like  Lalitha's  might  be  sacrificed 
to  the  whim  of  Amytis  with  scarce  a  comment. 
Daniel  was  half  alarmed  at  the  probable  effect 
of  this  interview  upon  the  helpless  girl.  But 
the  queen  proceeded,  with  pretty,  well-bred  soft- 
ness :  — 

"  So  ?  Bold  Balatsu-usur  !  The  girl  is  young 
and  handsome.  That  accounts  for  it,  for  Allit 
is  ever  cavaliering  after  a  pretty  face.  Who  is 
she?  Knowest  thou ?  " 

The  queen  leaned  far  over  to  look  into  the 
young  man's  face.  Hate  and  jealousy  gleamed 
for  an  instant  in  her  eyes,  and  then  died  away, 
leaving  only  a  look  of  girlish  eagerness.  The 
leopard-skin  had  slipped  from  her  breast ;  a  cinc- 
ture of  gold  shone  against  her  rich  red  skin. 
Her  feet  glistened  upon  a  many-tasseled  shawl, 
dyed  ruby-red  and  embroidered  cunningly  in  a 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS.  57 

quaint  pattern.  Her  nails  were  dyed  black  and 
polished,  after  the  latest  fashion  of  the  hour. 
Daniel  tried  not  to  look  at  them.  Luckily  a 
diversion  came.  The  slave  approached,  bearing 
the  wine.  At  another  motion  from  the  royal 
mistress,  a  girl  drew  near  with  an  armful  of 
flowers,  which  she  strewed  upon  the  inlaid  pave- 
ment at  their  feet.  Amytis  gathered  the  orange 
blossoms,  and,  as  she  took  the  goblet,  crowned 
it  with  a  spray. 

"  Drink,"  she  said  softly.  "  The  wine  came 
hither  but  yesterday.  I  will  crown  thy  cup,  if 
thou  tellest  me  the  name  of  the  maiden." 

"  If  that  be  the  condition,  O  queen,"  answered 
Daniel,  glad  to  escape  again,  "  I  could  not  tell 
thee,  though  thou  slay  me.  I  drink  no  wine. 
When  I  was  brought  hither  I  vowed  that  naught 
but  water  should  quench  my  thirst." 

The  queen's  eyes  now  shot  a  look  of  open 
anger  that  would  have  caused  any  other  man  in 
the  kingdom  to  shiver  with  fear.  Two  slaves 
instinctively  tightened  their  hands  upon  their 
weapons.  Daniel  stood  as  if  unconscious  of  the 
storm  that  might  burst  upon  him.  But  an  ex- 
pression of  amused  sarcasm  quickly  followed  on 
the  countenance  of  the  queen. 

"  Are  not  the  wines  of  Babylonia  fit  for  Jew- 
ish taste  ?  Is  the  juice  of  the  Galilean  grape 
sweeter  than  the  goblet  before  thee  ?  " 


58  THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  Not  so,  great  Amytis,"  answered  Daniel 
truthfully,  with  a  view  to  conciliation.  "  But 
Babylon,  with  all  its  splendor,  is  so  seductive 
that,  lest  I  should  fall  from  favor  with  my  God, 
I  have  vowed  unto  Him  abstinence  in  food  and 
drink." 

The  young  man  bowed  like  a  courtier.  The 
queen's  face  brightened.  She  observed  his 
grace  and  modesty;  secretly  she  felt  awed  by 
his  undaunted  manner.  She  knew  a  handsome 
man  when  she  saw  one.  Daniel's  beauty  was 
not  lost  upon  her. 

"  Pity  that  so  handsome  a  fellow  is  a  Jew !  " 
she  thought.  The  queen,  being  of  Median 
birth,  could  not  understand  the  tolerance  and 
affection  felt  by  the  Babylonians  towards  the 
Jewish  prisoners  of  state.  In  her  eyes  Daniel 
was  but  a  captive ;  by  a  native  Babylonian  he 
was  regarded  as  an  imported  citizen,  a  protege 
of  the  king,  and  eligible  to  any  office  in  the 
empire. 

"  Canst  thou  ride,  O  Jew?  "  asked  the  queen, 
suddenly  glancing  at  the  slender  but  compact 
nervous  physique  before  her. 

Daniel  smiled.  "  I  am  a  prince  in  my  own 
land,  and  bred  to  arms  as  to  the  law.  As  a  pu- 
pil in  the  palace  of  Babylon,  I  exercise  in  mimic 
battle,  on  foot,  on  horse,  or  in  the  chariot,  every 
day." 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.     59 

"  Then  perhaps  thou  wilt  accompany  us  upon 
the  hunt  —  after  the  Seventh  day  ?  "  The  queen 
had  a  mocking  air ;  these  words  dropped  in  a 
light,  sarcastic  ripple  ;  with  a  saucy  nod  and  play- 
ful twist  of  the  orange  blossom,  she  added,  — 

"  I  should  like  to  see  you  two  ride  together 
against  the  roaring  lion." 

"I  have  hunted  the  lion,  O  queen,"  said 
Daniel  composedly,  though  his  hands,  hidden 
in  the  folds  of  his  robe,  clutched  at  the  insult, 
"  and  I  have  bearded  the  lioness  and  her  young. 
But  when  does  the  king  hunt  ?  " 

"Next  full  moon."  Amytis  lost  her  vivacious 
air  when  the  name  of  the  king  was  mentioned. 

"  The  king  is  much  disturbed  by  dreams,  and 
the  seer  has  prescribed  a  moonlight  hunt  011  the 
plains  of  Doura  to  blast  away  the  evil  spirit. 
Nebuchadrezzar  is  moody  and  weary  with  fight- 
ing. The  hunt  will  favor  him.  It  will  be  a  fine 
aft'air,  for  Allit  leads  it.  And  canst  thou  answer 
this  riddle,  O  Jew?  Who  is  the  best  horseman 
in  Babylon?" 

The  queen  had  suddenly  become  stern,  as  be- 
fitted any  judge  who  sat  within  the  city  gates. 

"  The  king,"  answered  Daniel  simply. 

"  I  mean  next  to  the  king,"  replied  Amytis 
petulantly. 

"  That  riddle,  O  queen,  is  not  easy  to  answer, 
for  many  an  obscure  horsemen  there  is,  who  can 


60  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

tame  an  ostrich  for  his  steed.  But  of  such  as 
are  known  to  the  queen,  Allit  is  the  chief  by 
far." 

Another  warm  blush  rose  to  the  passionate 
face  of  the  queen  at  mention  of  the  warrior's 
name.  Was  it  love,  or  hate  ?  Suddenly  an  ex- 
pression of  intense  fury  spread  over  her  brow. 

"  By  the  gods  of  my  father !  would  that  that 
shameful  slave  had  died  by  fire,  rather  than  the 
captain  of  the  king's  guard  had  risked  but  the 
nail  of  his  little  finger  to  save  her  !  Who  is 
this  woman,  who  is  doubtless  even  now  weaving 
subtle  nets  to  entrap  our  Allit?  Who  is  she, 
captive  Jew?" 

But  scarcely  had  she  allowed  herself  this  out- 
burst, when  Amytis  drew  back  as  if  struck  by 
an  arrow.  The  eye  of  Daniel  encountered  hers 
sturdily.  A  fathomless  light  blazed  upon  her. 
The  youthful  form  had  expanded,  until  his  sta- 
ture seemed  to  reach  that  of  the  mighty  gods. 
His  face  shone  with  a  strange  radiance  that 
blinded  her.  His  words  came  forth  slowly  from 
pale,  stern,  unyouthful  lips  :  — 

"  O  queen,  live  forever.  Thou  knowest  not 
thyself,  nor  will  the  king  lend  the  countenance 
of  his  bidding  to  that  which  the  gods  deny. 
But  if  rBel-Merodach  and  the  gods  of  Babylon 
punish  not  the  thoughts  of  thy  heart,  behold, 
Jehovah,  the  God  of  Israel,  liveth." 


THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  Gl 

The  young  man  stood  for  a  moment  as  if 
wrapt  in  prayer,  while  Amytis  regarded  him 
more  in  awe  than  anger. 

Hardly  knowing  what  she  did,  she  motioned 
to  the  girl  who  brought  the  garlands,  and,  with 
something  like  embarrassment,  said,  — 

"  Mariamnu,  sing  us  one  of  your  songs.  The 
prince  of  the  Jews  is  ill.  Methinks,  fair  sir, 
thou  hadst  rather  hear  a  slave  of  thine  own  land 
sing  than  talk  with  the  courtesy  due  from  sub- 
ject to  queen.  Come,  girl,  get  thy  lyre,  and 
soothe  this  caged  leopard  with  thy  melody." 

The  Jewish  girl  cast  an  appealing  look  at  Dan- 
iel; her  eyes  were  hopelessly  sad.  She  struck 
a  few  preliminary  chords  that  rang  plaintively 
across  the  garden-court,  as  if  they  sought  a  con- 
cord among  the  listening  trees.  Then  she  lifted 
up  her  pure  voice  and  sang,  — 

A  wind  came  out  of  the  west 

At  the  cool  of  the  day, 

Close  a  lotus  blossom  lay 
Upon  my  breast. 
Silken  is  my  vest, 
And  soft  the  bed 
On  which  I  hide  my  head. 

Carven  is  the  cup 

From  whose  lip  I  sup. 

But  a  wind  came  out  of  the  east 
At  the  dip  of  the  day, 
And  carried  my  heart  away. 
Oh,  it  bore  my  soul  away, 


62  THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

And  bore  it  home. 
For  the  wind  is  free 
To  rise  and  roam, 
Out  of  the  east, 
And  into  the  west, 
And  home ! 

Ah,  me ! 

The  low  wail  died  slowly  away,  and  was  lost 
in  the  key  sounded  by  the  waterfall  near  by. 
The  maid  had  sung  resting  one  knee  upon  the 
ground,  half  leaning  against  the  trunk  of  a  fra- 
grant citron.  Shadows  played  across  her  face, 
and  her  eyes  were  cast  down. 

When  she  had  finished  she  seemed  scarcely 
to  breathe,  but  stole  a  quick  glance  at  the  coun- 
tenance of  Daniel,  which  was  reverently  turned 
towards  the  west.  Tears  welled  from  his  eyes  ; 
his  heart  was  borne  on  the  wings  of  the  setting 
sun  to  Jerusalem. 

The  queen  dismissed  the  girl  with  a  gesture 
of  great  displeasure,  and  would  have  done  the 
same  to  Daniel  had  not  an  officer  announced 
the  coming  of  the  king.  There  was  immediate 
bustle  in  the  court.  Opposite  the  couch  of  the 
queen  stood  an  ivory  throne,  finished  with  Sido- 
nian  carving  and  studded  with  precious  stones. 

The  king  walked  alone,  followed  by  two  fan- 
bearers.  He  motioned  to  Ashpenaz  to  stay  be- 
hind, and  eagerly  approached  the  queen.  He 
was  still  clad  in  his  garments  of  state.  The 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  63 

odor  of  frankincense  from  the  altar  lingered 
about  his  person.  His  expression  was  noble 
and  benevolent.  His  eyes  were  of  the  sort  one 
might  call  visionary.  They  had  a  reverence  in 
them,  as  if  he  felt  himself  the  viceroy  of  the 
gods.  Two  deep  furrows  ran  upwards  across 
his  forehead,  the  only  indication  of  the  morose- 
ness  and  ferocity  that  often  characterized  this 
great  monarch.  His  robe  was  resplendent  in 
embroidery.  Upon  his  head  he  wore  the  high, 
conical  tiara,  emblem  of  royalty.  He  carried 
his  bow  in  his  hand,  in  right  warlike  fashion. 
With  real  affection  he  approached  his  favored 
queen,  whose  eyes  had  not  left  him.  She 
bowed  her  head  deeply,  but  did  not  rise  from 
the  cushions.  Nebuchadrezzar  regarded  her,  as 

O 

she  lay  like  a  tamed  tigress  on  her  couch.  The 
queen  pleased  him.  He  was  at  first  unaware  of 
the  presence  of  Daniel,  standing  respectfully  at 
one  side. 

"  Thou  art  not  alone,  my  fair  mountain  queen," 
he  said,  turning  with  slight  displeasure.  "  But 
we  are  pleased  to  know  that  thou  conversest 
with  so  learned  a  youth.  Come  hither,  my  fair 
prince.  Didst  thou  teach  thy  queen  aught  of 
the  stars,  or  of  the  secrets  of  the  gods  ?  " 

The  king  smiled  pleasantly  at  the  young  man, 
who  knelt  for  a  moment  respectfully  before  his 
conqueror  and  protector. 


64  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  Nay,  indeed,"  laughed  the  queen,  "  nothing 
so  solemn.  I  leave  the  stars  and  the  gods  to 
thee.  We  were  discussing  nothing  less  than 
the  new  mountain  garden  thou  didst  promise 
me  on  my  return." 

"  And  what  I  promise  I  will  perform.  I  will 
rear  thee  a  garden  to  the  skies.  Thou  shalt 
forget  thy  mountain  home  in  the  cool  breezes 
that  shall  soothe  thee  from  the  summit  of  the 
wonder  I  shall  erect  for  her  whom  my  heart 
loveth.  May  Merodach  judge  me  and  be  my 
witness,  thou  shalt  dwell  in  thy  mountain  gar- 
den, as  thou  callest  it,  in  thirty  days.  What  I 
have  said  I  will  execute." 

The  king  indicated  by  a  paternal  gesture  that 
he  was  ready  to  dispense  with  the  company  of 
the  favorite  captive.  Daniel  arose  quickly  from 
his  knees  to  leave  the  royal  presence. 

"  Go  thou  in  peace,"  said  Nebuchadrezzar. 
"  Thou  art  continually  in  my  favor.  Increase 
in  learning.  The  king  forgets  not  the  wise.  I 
would  speak  alone  with  the  queen." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  captain  of  the  king's  guard  was  on  duty. 
He  sat  in  a  chamber  within  the  broad  gateway 
of  the  wall  that  protected  the  palaces  and  shut 
them  off  from  the  city  proper.  Allit  was  alone. 
The  other  soldiers  were  more  social ;  they  played 
at  games  to  while  away  time,  or  burnished  their 
trappings  leisurely,  after  the  havoc  of  the  cam- 
paign. A  selected  number  patrolled  the  fortifi- 
cations, and  kept  to  their  stations  on  the  citadel. 
The  sun  was  declining,  and  the  multitude  that 
had  sought  shelter  from  its  fierce  gaze  now 
flocked  in  the  streets  and  about  the  bazaars  and 
gates,  gossiping,  and  bartering  their  goods.  It 
was  now  three  days  since  the  army  had  returned, 
and  the  citizens  were  wondering  at  what  enter- 
prise the  king  would  put  his  myriads  of  slaves  to 
work  now.  It  was  rumored  that  he  would  finish 
the  temple  of  Nebo  at  Borsippa;  it  was  said 
that  the  fortifications  at  Cutha  were  to  be  en- 
larged and  repaired ;  it  was  whispered  that  a 
huge  and  curious  garden  for  the  alien  queen  was 
newest  in  the  king's  fancy. 

The  rescue  of  Lalitha  by  Allit,  being  a  piquant 


66  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

adventure,  occupied  a  large  share  of  the  street 
chatter.  Give  your  ordinary  gossip  a  chance  be- 
tween affairs  of  state  and  an  event  in  which  a 
man  and  woman  are  concerned,  and  he  makes 
no  delay  in  his  choice,  which  is  as  inevitable  as 
love  or  scandal. 

"  He  is  a  brave  fellow,  of  the  true  stock  of 
Akkad,"  said  a  seller  of  lentils  to  a  woman  who 
had  come  with  provisions  from  beyond  the  outer 
wall. 

"  Say  you  so  ?  "  asked  the  market-woman  in- 
differently ;  she  was  absorbed  in  selling  a  mea- 
sure of  last  year's  barley  at  double  its  quoted 
price.  She  continued  with  more  vivacity  when 
her  shrewd  sale  was  effected :  "  Would  that  he 
had  saved  my  daughter!  He  could  have  had 
her  to  keep  for  two  maneh." 

"  Thinkest  thou  the  captain  of  the  king  would 
trouble  his  fine  head  to  look  at  thy  girl  ?  "  sneered 
the  lentil  merchant.  "  But  by  our  lady  Ishtar  ! 
—  nay,  sir,  it  is  impossible  that  the  palm  wine 
should  be  fermented ;  it  came  from  the  press 
only  yesterday.  By  Nebo  !  there  goes  the  only 
customer  I  've  had  this  morning,  —  but,  as  I  was 
remarking,  by  our  lady!  it  is  my  belief  that 
Allit  Arioch  would  have  ridden  to  his  death  to 
save  any  girl  in  Babylon,  if  that  were  the  end 
of  the  matter.  Come,  neighbor,  let  us  drink 
my  new  wine  to  this  brave  Babylonian  !  " 


THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  67 

But  a  toast  that  had  to  be  paid  for  was  too 
much  to  contribute  even  to  the  popularity  of  the 
reigning  lion. 

The  barley  woman  turned  the  subject  of  con- 
versation —  to  the  barley  crop. 

But  Allit,  like  many  another  hero,  thinking 
less  of  his  deed  than  of  the  complications  into 
which  it  brought  him,  sat  with  troubled  look. 
His  gay  appearance  was  curiously  at  odds  with 
his  dismal  expression.  His  head-dress  was  of  a 
brilliant  color  ;  his  locks  had  been  carefully  po- 
maded ;  his  black  beard  dropped  in  straight  set 
curls  from  his  chin ;  and  his  cheeks  glistened 
with  the  latest  fad  in  ointments.  The  daring 
captain  had  changed  into  the  luxurious  man  of 
fashion.  In  his  delight  at  getting  back  to  the 
city  after  an  arduous  campaign,  he  had  given 
himself  over  to  all  the  pampering  ease  that  the 
metropolis  could  afford  and  that  his  profession 
would  allow.  But  Allit  was  not  happy.  Out- 
side of  the  door  the  human-headed  bull,  the 
gigantic  winged  cherub  that  adorned  the  en- 
trance of  the  gate,  regarded  him ;  it  had  the 
impenetrable  solemnity  belonging  to  the  sculp- 
ture of  the  times.  For  the  first  time  in  his  life 
Allit  observed  it  attentively ;  the  winged  cherub 
eyed  him  like  a  sphinx ;  it  seemed  to  ask  ques- 
tions and  to  answer  none. 

Allit  was  in  a  fermentation.     A  civil  conflict 


68  THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

was  agitating  him.  He  had  long  since  learned 
how  to  obey.  It  was  easy  for  him  to  command  ; 
but  now  the  art  of  thinking  and  of  planning  for 
himself  was  forced  upon  him.  Allit  was  not 
used  to  reflection ;  it  was  like  a  new  science  to 
sit  there,  while  the  other  soldiers  were  amusing 
themselves,  and  seriously  consider  himself  and 
his  relations  to  the  finer  aspects  of  life.  Allit 
was  young.  He  was  extremely  handsome,  and  a 
great  favorite  with  women.  He  was  a  man  who 
had  always  adopted  the  fashion  as  a  matter  of 
course. 

Brought  up  from  youth  with  his  king,  he  had 
blindly  followed  Nebuchadrezzar's  fortunes,  his 
wives  and  his  gods.  He  had  done  this  carelessly, 
rather  than  with  an  eye  to  royal  favor ;  and  his 
establishments  and  horses,  his  escapades  and 
intrigues,  were  the  despair  of  his  fellow-officers, 
as  well  as  the  gossip  of  the  court  and  town.  It 
had  been  no  uncommon  thing  for  him  to  buy 
two  or  three  beautiful  daughters  of  some  pros- 
perous land-owner  in  the  vicinity,  tire  of  them  in 
as  many  weeks,  and  then  distribute  them  to  his 
friends.  Such  was  the  state  of  morals  in  Baby- 
lon at  that  time  that  no  one  thought  the  worse 
of  the  king's  captain  for  adopting  the  custom 
of  his  people,  nor  did  it  occur  to  him  to  think 
the  worse  of  himself.  Open-handed  and  ardent, 
proud  and  courteous,  soldier  and  aristocrat,  he 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS  69 

represented  the  old  stock  of  the  earlier  Babylon, 
before  Assyria  smote  and  conquered  the  province, 
which,  revolting'  in  turn,  under  the  control  of 
the  father  of  Nebuchadrezzar  shot  into  a  second 
glory,  now  known  as  the  proudest  of  the  world. 
Allit  had  the  full  benefit  of  the  highest  social 
glamour  to  transfigure  his  attractive  personnel. 
He  was  implicitly  trusted  by  the  king,  and 
madly  adored  by  the  ladies  of  the  court.  Just 
now  the  golden  thread  in  the  intricate  pattern 
of  his  life  was  woven  by  the  jeweled  fingers  of 
Amytis  the  queen.  Conqueror  of  the  proudest 
man  who  ever  lived,  the  wife  of  Nebuchadrezzar 
stooped  to  court  the  admiration  of  her  eminent 
subjects. 

The  king  was  loving,  but  blind,  and  the  ex- 
citement that  nourished  Amytis  first  intoxicated, 
then  withered,  her  victims.  The  predecessor  of 
Allit  had  paid  for  the  queen's  favor  by  the  loss 
of  his  head.  It  was  now  the  turn  of  Allit,  and 
the  court  wondered  how  long  he  would  last.  But 
Allit  was  too  fine  a  tactician.  He  played  for 
the  game,  not  for  the  stake.  The  queen  was  un- 
scrupulous in  her  pursuit,  but  Allit  was  honor- 
able and  even  playful  in  his  evasion.  He  en- 
joyed being  put  upon  his  mettle.  It  interested 
him  that  he  could  successfully  steal  an  interview 
with  the  queen,  and  not  even  allow  his  royal  mis- 
tress to  suspect  that  he  was  carrying  on  the 


70  THE   MASTER   OF  THE   MAGICIANS. 

same  strategy  with  twenty  other  women  from 
Sippara  to  Eridhu.  But  for  the  first  time  the 
jealous  attention  of  Amytis  had  become  irksome 
to  him.  Since  he  had  cast  that  hurried  look 
into  the  face  of  the  girl  he  happened  to  save,  his 
fancy,  ready  to  fly  at  the  first  touch,  had  taken 
a  new  turn.  For  the  life  of  him  he  could  not 
forget  her.  True,  his  fellow-officers  had  amused 
themselves  considerably  at  his  expense,  and  al- 
ready high  wagers  were  offered  as  to  when  the 
fortunate  girl  would  swell  the  list  of  the  cap- 
tain's victims  ;  but  the  badinage  of  the  court 
did  not  seem  as  important  to  him  as  usual.  The 
girl  haunted  his  imagination  ;  he  tried  to  throw 
her  off  ;  he  refused,  on  plea  of  official  business, 
to  see  her  father,  the  venerable  Mutusa-ili,  who 
came  to  thank  him.  He  had  roughly  rebuked 
the  boyish  prattle  of  his  brother  Susa ;  but  the 
lad's  enthusiastic  praises  of  the  stranger  whom 
he  protected  but  for  an  hour  had  their  effect. 
Amused  and  annoyed  at  the  persistence  of  an 
interest  his  intellect  repudiated,  Allit  was  glad 
when  his  solitary  reflections  came  to  their  nat- 
ural end.  He  started  with  pleasure  when  the 
gnomon  marked  the  hour  of  his  release,  and  his 
duty  for  the  day  was  done.  He  glanced  at  the 
colossus  by  the  gate. 

"  Remain  thou  in  solitude,  if  thou  likest  it, 
and  answer  thine  own  questions !  "  he  muttered. 


THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS.  71 

He  straightened  himself  with  military  alacrity, 
received  a  report  or  two,  gave  a  few  final  orders 
for  the  night,  and  sauntered  slowly  toward  the 
temple  of  Bel,  whose  seven  brilliantly  colored 
stages  shone  with  a  sacred  softness  in  the  twi- 
light. Allit  walked  abstractedly,  and  hardly 
noticed  the  greetings  of  the  people.  Two  inci- 
dents only  clearly  arrested  his  attention. 

A  foppish-looking  man  reined  up  his  horses 
and  invited  the  captain  to  a  private  carousal  in 
honor  of  a  god,  to  be  held  next  week. 

"  Nay,"  replied  Allit  gravely.  "  Thanks  for 
thy  courtesy,  but  I  am  preoccupied." 

He  had  scarcely  refused  the  invitation,  when 
he  was  summoned  by  a  glance  to  a  litter  borne 
by  four  Egyptians.  Within  this  litter  reclined 
Ina,  the  acknowledged  beauty  of  Babylon.  Ina 
was  the  daughter  of  Egibi  the  banker,  who,  it 
will  be  remembered,  was  the  wealthiest  untitled 
citizen  of  the  province  and  treasurer  of  the  state. 
She  affected  the  softer  hues  of  red,  because  they 
became  her  peculiar  complexion.  This  was  of 
a  coloring  lighter  than  that  of  most  of  the  Baby- 
lonian women,  but  it  preserved  the  rich  olive 
tints  that  were  frequently  found  among  Jewish 
maidens  of  distinguished  birth.  Her  hair  was 
wavy  and  dark,  and  was  looped  behind  on  the 
top  of  her  head.  A  fillet  of  gold  confined  it  in 
front,  and  rubies  shone  from  arms,  ears,  and 


72  THE  MASTER    OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

throat.  She  lay  in  her  litter  plunged  in  red  and 
silver,  and  poutingly  beckoned  Allit  to  approach. 

"  And  why,  noble  Allit,"  she  immediately  be- 
gan, "  hast  thou  not  numbered  thyself  as  one  of 
our  guests  since  thy  return  ?  Does  the  favor  of 
the  queen  turn  thy  heart  to  forget  old  friends 
of  humbler  station  ?  Or  dost  thou  search  the 
streets  for  another  maiden  to  snatch  from  death 
to  life  ?  " 

For  the  first  time,  Allit,  to  his  own  inward 
discomfort,  was  betrayed  into  a  blush,  which 
Ina,  daughter  of  Egibi,  was  delighted  to  see. 
Needed  a  woman  better  proof  that  her  charm 
worked  well  ? 

Allit  bowed  without  smiling,  and  looked  Ina 
so  steadfastly  in  the  face  that  she  cast  down  her 
eyes.  Allit  at  this  moment  was  indescribably 
reminded  of  Lalitha.  He  remembered  a  glow 
of  red  upon  white,  a  mass  of  waving  dark  hair 
against  an  olive  skin,  and  a  smile.  That  was  all. 
In  Ina  he  saw  the  same  type  of  feminine  beauty ; 
but  he  missed  —  and  valued  the  more  —  the  un- 
decorated,  unassuming  expression  of  the  modest 
stranger. 

"  Nay,  my  Lady  Ina,"  he  said  gallantly,  "  I 
have  by  no  means  forgotten  thee.  How  could 
any  man  do  that  ?  But  I  have  been  busy  with 
affairs.  The  king  is  about  to  put  ten  thousand 
captives  at  work  upon  a  new  garden  he  buildeth 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  73 

for  the  queen.  I  am  well  occupied.  I  will 
come  soon  to  thee,  perhaps  to-morrow.  Is  thy 
father  well  ?  He  is  a  very  busy  man.  I  have 
need  to  convert  some  spoil  into  well-coined  silver 
shekels,  and  will  consult  him.  Farewell.  May 
Ishtar  be  thy  guardian  !  " 

Allit  walked  away,  twirling  his  cane  comfort- 
ably ;  he  fancied  that  he  had  got  out  of  that  very 
well.  The  lady  looked  after  him  with  a  troubled 
expression,  sighed  deeply,  and  sternly  ordered 
her  slaves  home. 

The  captain  walked  on  fast  and  faster.  The 
vision  of  a  girl  dashed  to  her  death  beneath  a 
chariot  flew  faster  than  he  ;  he  could  not  out- 
stride  it.  lie  felt  as  if  he  were  gathering  him- 
self together  again  for  the  dangerous  rush. 

"  May  Nergal  sustain  me !  "  he  muttered. 
His  pace  had  quickened  almost  to  a  run  ;  and, 
the  street  being  crowded,  he  paid  for  his  dream- 
ing by  a  collision  with  another  foot  passenger, 
who  was  going  in  the  opposite  direction.  Allit, 
in  short,  bumped  into  a  very  venerable  man, 
and  fairly  knocked  him  down.  He  quickly  re- 
covered himself,  and  proceeded  to  pick  up  the 
person  whom  he  had  so  unceremoniously  over- 
turned. 

The  old  man  was  groaning,  more  in  anger 
than  in  pain. 

"  Has  Raman  in  his  anger  blasted  me,  or  has 


74  THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

a  scoundrel  committed  an  assault,  deeming  me 
unprotected  ?  " 

He  glanced  fiercely  upon  Allit,  whose  apolo- 
gies he  did  not  seem  to  find  impressive,  adjusted 
his  turban,  regained  his  stick,  and  now  carefully 
scrutinized  the  luckless  offender.  Allit  had 
recognized  the  subject  of  his  awkwardness  im- 
mediately, but  he  waited  for  Mutusa-ili  to  do 
him  a  like  honor. 

"  By  my  faith,"  said  Mutusa-ili,  in  a  changed 
tone,  "it  is  Allit,  the  king's  captain.  Truly, 
Adar,  the  lord  of  the  brave,  hath  given  thee 
strength  as  well  as  clumsiness.  My  bones  feel 
as  if  a  battering-ram  had  smitten  them.  But, 
gallant  captain,  for  the  sake  of  my  daughter, 
thou  art  forgiven  ;  thy  penalty  is  that  thou  be 
my  right-hand  staff  and  accompany  me  home." 

Thus  it  was.  Fate  had  stepped  in,  and  Allit, 
with  no  slight  feeling  of  embarrassment,  urged 
Mutusa-ili  to  lean  heavily  upon  him ;  he  fell 
slowly  into  step  with  the  old  man. 

"  I  have  endeavored  to  thank  thee,"  observed 
Mutusa-ili,  with  the  scant  effusiveness  of  age, 
"  for  the  service  thou  hast  done  my  house.  I 
was  denied  entrance  to  thee  at  the  palace. 
Enter  now  with  me,  and  grant  me  the  oppor- 
tunity of  a  host  to  express  my  obligations.  Par- 
take thou  of  our  evening  meal.  We  may  not 
furnish  Libyan  wine,  but  I  have  a  skin  from 


THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS.  75 

Shushan  not  yet  opened,  and  my  daughter  would 
gladly  greet  thee,  though  she  walketh  not  as  yet, 
poor  maid ! " 

There  was  clearly  nothing  else  to  be  done,  and 
Allit  accompanied  the  scholar,  with  an  eager- 
ness to  which  he  tried  to  give  the  name  of  reluc- 
tance. As  he  was  about  to  enter  the  gateway 
of  the  old  man's  home,  he  noticed  a  stir  upon 
the  street.  Slaves  in  royal  livery  loudly  ordered 
the  populace  aside.  Then  came  the  cry :  — 

44  The  queen  !  The  queen  !  "  Involuntarily  the 
two  men  halted.  A  covered  chariot  approached. 
There  was  a  flash  of  footmen,  horsemen,  and 
brilliant  metal  standards.  Allit  did  not  see  two 
angry  eyes  resting  upon  him,  and  with  a  torrent 
of  jealousy  regarding  the  house.  People  rose 
from  their  humble  postures.  The  procession 
had  passed.  The  two  men  turned  and  entered 
the  house.  The  queen,  Ina,  the  hundred  loves 
of  the  man  of  pleasure,  —  where  were  they  ? 
What  were  they  ?  When  Mutusa-ili  led  Allit 
to  the  couch  of  the  wounded  girl,  there  seemed 
to  exist  no  other  woman  in  all  the  world. 

Lalitha,  very  pale  but  very  sweet,  looked  up 
at  her  visitor  like  a  contented  bird  viewing  a 
new  land.  If  she  had  not  been  lying  down,  one 
would  have  expected  her  to  turn  her  head  side- 
ways, twitter  a  little,  and  start  a  pair  of  pretty 
wings.  Allit  stood  in  a  constrained  attitude, 


76  THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

but  his  eyes  leaped  toward  her  adoringly.  The 
girl  spoke  first. 

"  Thou  art  come,"  she  said  simply.  "  It  gives 
us  pleasure  to  bless  thee,  kind  sir.  My  father 
and  I  are  thy  debtors  for  all  our  lives." 

"Thy  preserver  suppeth  with  us  to-night," 
said  Mutusa-ili.  "  I  will  summon  our  slave  Kis- 
rinni  to  prepare  the  evening  meal.  Do  thou  en- 
tertain our  guest  until  I  return." 

In  this  natural  way  the  old  man  departed, 
leaving  the  two  alone.  Allit  found  this  more 
comfortable ;  but  Lalitha  thought  it  strange  that 
she  began  to  feel  embarrassed.  She  dropped 
her  eyes  and  played  with  the  fringe  upon  the 
coverlet  of  her  couch.  Lalitha  was  charming  in 
a  white  robe,  but  the  draperies  about  her  were 
of  crimson  silk  and  wool.  She  gave  to  the 
young  man  the  same  vivid  impression  of  white 
and  red  that  he  had  snatched  from  that  vision 
of  her  as  she  stood,  swaying  to  her  death,  be- 
fore the  chariot ;  but  now,  as  before,  the  white- 
ness overcame  the  redness  in  his  fancy.  He 
noticed  that  the  girl's  garment  was  fastened 
at  the  throat,  contrary  to  the  fashion  of  dress 
among  Babylonian  women,  who  wore  the  robe 
caught  over  one  shoulder  and  under  the  other 
arm,  freely  unveiling  the  breast.  But  Lalitha 
was  modestly  draped  from  her  fair  throat  to  her 
wounded  foot.  Her  eyes  had  nothing  of  the 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  11 

boldness  which  Allit  expected  to  find  in  a  wo- 
man, and  took  as  a  matter  of  course.  She  re- 
garded him  timidly.  The  king's  captain  looked 
at  her  with  a  frank,  critical  glance  ;  it  deepened 
to  an  expression  perfectly  new  to  Allit's  gay 
face. 

"  Thy  brother,  the  lad  Susa,  comes  here  every 
day  to  cheer  me,  for  I  am  a  prisoner,"  said  La- 
litha  suddenly. 

It  was  an  abrupt,  awkward  little  speech,  but 
Lalitha  felt  as  if  she  must  say  something  ;  she 
could  think  of  nothing  else. 

"  Would  that  I  were  Susa !  "  observed  Allit 
quickly.  He  had  no  sooner  said  this  than  he 
felt  ashamed  of  himself  for  bringing  the  paltry 
gallantries  of  the  court  and  the  world  into  this 
nest  of  peace  and  purity.  Lalitha  shot  a  quick 
glance  up  his  tall  height ;  she  looked  startled ; 
one  could  almost  hear  her  rustle  her  invisible 
wings  to  fly.  Evidently  she  believed  what  he 
said.  Well;  why  not?  Was  it  not  true?  Allit 
watched  her.  The  man  of  the  world  was  over- 
come with  the  intoxication  of  a  perfectly  new 
sensation.  She  looked  at  him  so  fearlessly,  yet 
with  such  an  expression  of  shrinking  delicacy, 
that  he  was  stirred  toward  a  respect  he  had 
never  felt  for  any  woman.  All  the  unexercised 
honor  of  his  manhood  was  challenged  by  her 
chastity. 


78  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  Thou  art  a  white  bird !  "  he  murmured  im- 
pulsively. "  May  the  gods  guard  thee  !  Thou 
shouldst  receive  the  homage  of  a  better  man 
than  I." 

"  Art  thou  not  a  good  man  ?  "  asked  Lalitha, 
in  wide-eyed  wonder.  "I  have  thought  kindly 
of  thee  ...  all  this  while." 

"  Think  of  me  as  little  as  possible,"  protested 
Allit,  stung  into  a  downright  honest  effort  to 
protect  the  girl  from  herself,  — from  himself. 
"  Think  of  me  no  more." 

Lalitha  laughed  merrily. 

"  Is  that  the  way  they  talk  at  court,  kind 
sir  ?  Such  humility  hath  no  good  place,  to  my 
mind,  in  the  life  of  a  man  who  hath  wrought 
a  deed  like  thine.  Why,  I  have  to  think  of 
thee.  Thou  gavest  me  back  to  my  father  and  to 
life.  I  was  not  educated  to  be  a  discourteous, 
ungrateful  girl.  .  .  .  But  perhaps,"  added  La- 
litha, with  a  sudden  cloud  upon  her  charming 
face,  "perhaps  thou  hast  already  had  enough 
of  the  affair  and  thou  would  st  not  be  annoyed 
by  even  the  gratitude  of  a  lowly  maiden ;  per- 
haps it  incommodes  thee,  sir,  to  be  reminded  of 
me,  and  of  the  trouble  I  have  been  to  thee." 

Lalitha  faltered  out  these  preposterous  words 
so  ingenuously  that  the  man  of  pleasure  could 
have  fallen  on  his  knees  before  her  innocent 
soul. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  79 

"  Thou  art  ridiculous  ! "  said  Allit  savagely. 
"Any  other  woman  in  Babylon,  in  thy  place, 
would  see — would  know  —  would  understand." 

The  courtier  hesitated.  The  girl's  clear  eyes 
seemed  to  burn  upon  him  like  two  soft  altar 
lamps. 

"  I  do  not  know  many  things,"  said  Lalitha 
gently.  "  I  live  alone,  with  Kisrinni  and  my 
father.  I  go  not  abroad ;  I  did  very  wrong  the 
day  of  the  procession  ;  it  was  the  only  time.  I 
shall  not  be  so  naughty  again ;  I  have  promised 
my  father.  I  do  not  understand  a  great  deal 
that  perhaps  I  ought  to  know ;  when  I  am  older 
I  may  do  so." 

"  May  Ishtar  forbid  !  "  cried  Allit ;  "  but  at 
least  thou  mayest  understand  when  a  man  says 
he  is  afraid  of  thee." 

"  Afraid  !     Of  me  ?  "  cried  Lalitha. 

But  at  this  moment  Mutusa-ili  appeared,  with 
Kisrinni  salaaming  behind  him. 

"  We  will  spread  our  simple  board,"  said  the 
old  man,  looking  very  happy,  "  in  my  daughter's 
apartments,  that  she  may  sup  with  us,  in  honor 
of  her  preserver  and  of  her  dear  life." 

"  Be  it  so,"  said  Allit  devoutly. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

NEBUCHADREZZAR  had  an  extraordinary  posi- 
tion in  the  Babylonian  court.  No  law  restrained 
the  king.  He  was  the  monarch,  he  was  the  no- 
bility, he  was  the  priesthood,  he  was  the  law. 
His  whim  might  condemn  subjects  by  the  thou- 
sand to  be  cut  into  inch  pieces ;  he  was  account- 
able to  no  power  in  earth  or  heaven.  He  raised 
and  he  dashed  down.  Commanders,  chief 
eunuchs,  high  priests,  and  captains  rose  and  fell 
before  his  will  like  grain  before  the  wind.  The 
king  claimed  divine  descent,  and  devoutly  be- 
lieved in  his  own  claim.  For,  he  said,  "  Hath 
not  Merodach  begot  me  of  my  mother  ?  " 

Was  the  son  of  Heaven  to  be  resisted  in  his 
most  intolerable  commands?  The  nation  never 
disputed  an  authority  that  often  partook  of  the 
most  despotic  tyranny.  The  king  was  of  an 
odd,  composite  formation.  His  character  was 
as  capricious  as  a  child's,  and  as  undecipherable 
as  a  prehistoric  tablet.  He  was  energetic,  and 
apt  in  turning  energy  into  affairs.  This  leader 
of  armies  and  conqueror  of  nations  had  a  rebel 
in  his  own  nature,  —  he  was  born  with  a  rash 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  81 

temper.  Many  acts  of  cruelty  resulted.  The 
man  was  not  by  nature  relentless,  but  it  was  so 
easy  to  cause  the  massacre  of  a  score  of  chiefs 
by  the  mere  wave  of  his  hand  that  his  royal 
carelessness  led  him  lightly. 

With  all  this,  the  king  was  the  most  religious 
of  men.  .  Believing  himself  to  be  the  child  of 
the  gods,  he  dedicated  to  them  the  spoil  of  his 
successful  campaigns.  The  most  magnificent 
temples  ever  enjoyed  by  the  Babylonian  deities 
rose  like  splendid  prayers  at  the  beck  of  Nebu- 
chadrezzar. It  was  a  fact  which  his  treasurer 
alone  knew,  and  secretly  grieved  over,  that 
three  fourths  of  the  monarch's  wealth  went  to 
the  glorification  of  the  gods,  whose  shrines  he 
repaired,  and  whose  worship  he  stimulated 
throughout  the  length  of  the  land  of  Shinar. 
From  Sepharvaim  to  Teredon,  —  a  fortress  on 
the  Persian  gulf,  which  the  king  was  building, 
—  the  priests  burnt  incense,  and  praised  the 
name  of  the  son  of  Merodach,  their  lavish  and 
beneficent  lord. 

But,  although  the  king  ruled  with  a  hand  of 
bronze,  he  himself  was  an  humble  subject.  A 
master  who  mastered  the  king  swayed  every 
Babylonian,  high  or  low.  A  power  more  arro- 
gant than  that  of  the  sceptre  ruled  the  ruler. 
In  these  days  we  give  to  this  autocrat  the  name 
of  Superstition.  The  people  were  divided  into 


82  THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

two  classes :  the  Chaldeans,  or  priests,  and  the 
commonalty.  The  masses  of  the  people  lived 
in  alarm.  They  feared  each  day  of  the  week. 
They  quaked  every  hour  of  the  day.  They 
blinked  with  restlessness  at  the  light,  wondering 
what  it  might  bring  forth.  They  started  with 
ague  at  the  darkness,  shrinking  from  the  fever 
or  the  pest  that  lay  in  wait  for  them.  They 
shuddered  at  the  vampire  that  would  feed  upon 
their  blood.  The  sacerdotal  caste  concentrated 
in  its  ranks  all  the  science  and  all  the  learning 
of  the  times.  The  priests  were  the  physicians  of 
the  trembling  body  and  of  the  throbbing  heart. 
They  prescribed  philters,  incantations,  and  talis- 
mans for  a  cough  or  for  a  panic.  For  a  fixed 
price,  they  consulted  the  auguries  of  the  stars, 
or  studied  the  prophetic  position  of  a  wand. 

To  the  Babylonian  the  universe  was  filled  with 
spirits,  good  and  evil,  who  were  directly  the 
cause  of  every  phenomenon  of  nature.  The 
blast  of  the  sirocco  or  the  loss  of  a  tooth  had 
a  supernatural  explanation.  Projected  by  a 
blind  fate  into  the  midst  of  a  mad  contest  be- 
tween these  spirits,  the  sufferer  feels  himself  in- 
voluntarily drawn  into  the  combat  of  which  he 
is  the  unwilling  battle-ground.  His  escape  is 
only  through  mysterious  incantations,  of  which 
the  initiated  alone  know  the  secret,  and  by 
amulets  which  they  only  can  consecrate.  But 


THE  MASTER    OF   THE  MAGICIANS.  83 

life  itself  is  one  long  paean  of  despair.  The 
gods  command  men  to  eat  and  drink,  and  be 
merry.  Well  they  may,  for  men  are  doomed  at 
death  to  the  lowest  depths  that  yawn  in  desert 
places.  The  earth  carries  them  away 

"  To  the  house  of  darkness,  the  seat  of  the  god  Irkalla, 
To  the  house  from  whose  entrance  there  is  no  exit, 
To  the  road  whose  course  never  leads  back, 
To  the  house  whose  inmate  is  shut  off  from  light, 
Where  dust  is  their  sustenance,  clay  their  food. 
The  light  they  behold  not,  in  darkness  they  dwell." 

Virtue  is  rewarded  only  by  earthly  happiness  ; 
it  has  no  future.  Pain  is  the  beginning  and 
the  end  of  life.  At  resurrection,  the  dead  start 
into  coarse  birds,  frightful  griffins,  or  horrible 
vampires.  This  superstitious  slavery  was  more 
frightful  than  the  bondage  of  the  Jewish  cap- 
tives. It  eroded  private  life  to  an  incredible 
extent.  A  man  could  not  undertake  a  journey, 
he  might  not  call  upon  a  neighbor,  until  intri- 
cate tables  of  lucky  and  unfavorable  days  had 
been  consulted,  and  all  the  omens  proved  pro- 
pitious. 

It  was  to  be  expected  that  a  system  of  coin- 
cidences between  certain  appearances  of  the 
sun,  moon,  or  planets,  and  personal  or  political 
changes,  should  be  eagerly  uplifted  to  high  in- 
tellectual rank.  Thus,  by  the  marvelous  sym- 
pathy which  the  Chaldeans  thought  they  recog- 


84  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  IfAGlCIANS. 

nized  between  celestial  phenomena  and  terres- 
trial events,  their  religion  became  subordinated 
to  astronomy.  Astrology  developed  into  the  ruler 
of  life.  The  destiny  of  the  people  was  controlled 
by  priests,  who  took  good  care  to  exact  what 
might  be  called  a  toll  for  passage  on  the  sidereal 
turnpike.  Omens  were  as  numerous  as  diseased 
imaginations,  and  demons  were  as  plentiful  as 
priests.  Phantoms  and  spectres  made  virulent 
assault  upon  unexorcised  men,  in  magical  droves 
of  seven.  Disease  was  always  the  personal  work 
of  an  evil  spirit ;  it  could  not  be  conjured  away 
unless  a  propitious  genius  was  guaranteed  to 
take  its  place.  It  was  the  habit  in  Babylon  to 
carry  sick  people  to  the  open  street,  where  all 
passers-by,  in  courtesy,  stopped  and  prescribed 
a  remedy.  Besides  astrologers  and  exorcists, 
there  was  a  powerful  sect  of  diviners  and  sooth- 
sayers that  carried  on  a  lucrative  trade.  Pro- 
phetic arrows  and  wands,  each  with  an  omen 
written  upon  it,  were  drawn  from  heaps.  Nebu- 
chadrezzar is  known  once  to  have  chosen  his 
route  against  an  enemy  by  the  tactics  of  a  magic 
arrow.  The  flight  of  a  bird  foretold  the  future, 
and  the  entrails  of  victims  opened  ghastly  pages 
to  inspection.  It  was  well  known  that  if  the 
intestines  of  an  ass  turned  to  the  left,  were 
twisted  and  of  a  bluish  color,  wailing  would  not 
enter  the  land. 


THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  85 

Presages  were  drawn  from  the  clouds,  from 
thunder  and  from  lightning.  Serpents,  being 
considered  shrewder  than  most  people,  were  ele- 
vated in  some  of  the  temples  of  Babylon  to  re- 
veal the  will  of  the  gods.  Dogs  played  princi- 
pal roles  in  the  system  of  portents.  Stray  dogs 
acquired  an  awful  importance  in  human  affairs. 
In  weird  incantation  the  king  heard  once  a  year 
that  if  a  red  dog  enters  the  palace  and  crouches 
under  the  throne  the  palace  shall  be  burnt,  and 
if  a  white  dog  enters  the  temple  its  gods  shall 
desert  it.  A  prominent  official  at  the  palace 
and  temple  was,  consequently,  the  dog-catcher, 
who  religiously  disposed  of  unclaimed,  unkempt 
animals.  And  alas,  if  a  piece  of  furniture  fell, 
or  the  timbers  of  a  house  cracked  at  night ! 
The  omen  was  prodigious  and  dark.  It  was  a 
well-known  fact  that  before  Nebuchadrezzar  was 
born,  a  peasant  woman  gave  birth  to  a  boy  with 
the  ears  of  a  lion.  That  foretold  the  hero. 
Mothers  feared  to  bear  a  son  with  no  right 
hand,  for  then  his  family  would  be  blotted  out, 
but  there  would  be  prosperity  in  that  of  his 
neighbor.  Two  years  before  the  overthrow  of 
Babylon,  a  mare  dropped  a  foal  with  only  one 
eye.  The  secret  was  not  well  kept,  and  the  de- 
moralization resulting  from  that  disastrous  cir- 
cumstance was  instrumental  in  bringing  about 
the  destruction  of  the  eternal  city  and  the  de- 
vastation of  the  land  of  Akkad. 


86  TEE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

There  was  still  another  class  of  priests,  whose 
business  was  the  interpretation  of  dreams.  There 
were  moreover  professional  dreamers,  whose 
visions  were  recorded,  and  followed  with  great 
anxiety  by  prince  and  people.  As  an  astrolo- 
ger, an  interpreter  of  the  stars  and  their  import 
to  man,  Mutusa-ili  was  eminent ;  but  as  an  in- 
terpreter of  dreams  he  had  long  easily  stood 
without  rival  in  the  land.  This  art  was  the  fa- 
vorite at  court.  Every  one  had  dreams  sent  by 
Ishtar  of  Arbela  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  and 
although  special  dreams  had  their  codes  of  inter- 
pretation, uncatalogued  visions  were  numerous, 
and  required  a  classifier.  A  dream  was  the  oc- 
casion of  the  sale  of  Joseph  the  Jew,  and  of  his 
subsequent  power  over  his  brethren.  A  dream 
influenced  Gyges  to  pay  tribute  to  the  king  of 
Assyria.  A-  dream  announced  to  Croesus  the 
death  of  his  son  Atys.  The  future  royalty  of 
Darius,  son  of  Hystaspes,  was  revealed  to  Cyrus 
in  a  dream.  Did  not  Isaiah  reproach  the  Jews 
for  sleeping  among  tombs  to  dream  prophetic 
dreams  ? 

Thus  the  Babylonian  passed  his  daily  exist- 
ence, struggling  to  ward  off  evil  and  to  propi- 
tiate the  good.  The  priest  was  the  only  resource 
or  relief.  He  became  an  absolute  power  in  the 
land  ;  even  the  king  must  bend  to  him.  Yet  it 
is  noticeable  that  the  Chaldean  sorcerers  did  not 


THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS.  87 

pretend  to  order  the  gods,  like  many  a  more 
modern  believer.  They  implored.  They  did 
not  presume  to  fathom  the  knowledge  of  the  di- 
vine and  all-powerful  word,  which  was  to  them 
the  source  of  life,  the  panacea  for  every  misfor- 
tune. That  mysterious  word  was  the  secret  of 
Ea,  and  Silik-Moulou-Ki,  who  dispensed  good  to 
man,  and  who  was  the  mediator  between  Ea 
and  suffering  mortality. 

The  city  was  aghast.  The  palace  was  in  a 
ferment.  Citizens  went  to  their  business  with 
averted  faces,  and  spoke  below  their  breath. 
The  soldiers  within  the  citadel  sombrely  shook 
their  heads,  and  attended  to  their  duties  with  an 
unusual  military  precision  that  was  ominous. 
The  treasurer,  the  Rab-daiku,  the  lord  execu- 
tioner, and  Ashpenaz,  chief  of  the  eunuchs, 
were  in  stately  and  mysterious  conference.  Al- 
lit,  the  captain  of  the  king's  guard,  had  been 
imperatively  summoned  to  attend  upon  the  mon- 
arch. The  queen  was  invisible.  But  by  far 
the  greatest  consternation  took  possession  of  the 
soothsayers,  the  astrologers,  the  interpreters  and 
diviners.  A  deputation  of  the  most  august  in 
their  profession  were  sent  in  hot  haste  to  bid 
Mutusa-ili,  their  acknowledged  chief,  to  a  sol- 
emn convocation.  With  bleached  faces  this 
sacred  body  discussed  the  news  that  had  startled 


88  THE  MASTER  OF    THE   MAGICIANS. 

them  from  the  dignified  routine  of  their  daily 
duties.  The  temple  of  Bel-Merodach  was  in  a 
state  of  distraction.  The  chief  astronomer,  who 
occupied  the  observatory  at  the  summit  of  the 
Ziggurat,  was  said  to  be  almost  unconscious  with 
terror  at  his  failure  to  predict  the  misfortune 
that  had  come  upon  the  sacerdotal  caste. 

What  was  the  calamity  that  agitated  Baby- 
lon? The  king  had  dreamed  a  dream.  That 
was  all,  and  enough.  Nebuchadrezzar  had  seen 
a  vision.  The  omen  disquieted  his  soul,  and  he 
had  passed  an  uneasy  night  beneath  the  royal 
canopy.  The  next  morning,  for  the  first  time 
in  his  life,  he  forgot,  on  rising,  to  perform  his 
usual  devotions  and  religious  lustrations,  and 
called  for  his  captain  in  tones  that  betokened  ill 
to  somebody.  Allit,  perceiving  from  the  terror 
and  haste  of  the  messenger  that  something  was 
wrong,  stopped  only  to  throw  a  robe  about  his 
shoulders,  adjust  a  sword  to  his  side,  and  take  a 
poniard  in  his  hand.  The  young  man  lost  no 
time  in  appearing  before  the  king,  who  lay  upon 
his  gold  and  ivory  couch.  Nebuchadrezzar 
awaited  his  favorite  with  impatience,  and  greeted 
him  with  a  scowl. 

"  By  Nebo,  the  sustainer  of  my  house  !  thou 
takest  thy  time  to  answer  my  command  !  " 

"  Nay,  my  lord,  deign  to  behold  me.  I  came 
hither  even  as  I  was,  with  but  this  robe,  a  scant 


THE  MASTER    OF   THE   MAGICIANS.  89 

protection  for  my  body,  but  with  my  sword  to 
defend  the  king." 

The  soldier  flourished  his  sword  with  such 
vigor  that  the  royal  fan -bearer  jumped  back,  in 
terror  of  his  life.  The  king  seemed  appeased  at 
this  evidence  of  devotion,  and  raised  himself 
slightly  to  scan  the  face  of  his  officer.  Allit 
took  advantage  of  the  softer  moment  to  drop 
reverently  upon  his  knees  and  touch  his  fore- 
head to  the  carpet  of  the  royal  footstool.  This 
was,  in  form,  a  precious  tapestry,  woven  to  set 
forth  the  contest  of  Bel  and  the  dragon.  Allit's 
eyes  were  on  the  dragon  ;  it  was  a  yellow  and 
black  dragon,  but  Allit  saw  neither  black  nor 
yellow.  All  his  senses  had  gone  to  swell  the 
power  of  hearing  with  which  he  listened  to  the 
king.  Allit  was  courtier  enough  to  know  that 
the  monarch's  mood  betokened  ill  effects  in  some 
direction. 

"Nay,  my  good  friend  and  captain,  I  doubt 
thee  not,"  said  Nebuchadrezzar  slowly.  "  Would 
that  I  could  depend  on  every  officer  I  have 
raised  on  high  as  I  trust  thee !  Thou  hast  my 
favor ;  for  I  am  sad.  He  who  hath  made  Baby- 
lon the  metropolis  of  the  universe  hath  dreamed 
this  night  a  dream." 

The  king  sighed  deeply,  and  lay  back  upon 
his  couch.  The  two  looked  each  other  gravely 
in  the  face  after  this  momentous  confession. 


90  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

Allit,  who  felt  the  depression  of  the  unknown 
quantity,  was  bound  to  cheer  the  royal  dreamer. 

"  Perchance  thou  hast  seen  the  body  of  a  yel- 
low dog  "  — 

The  king  shook  his  head  contemptuously. 

u  Then,"  proceeded  Allit  hopefully,  u  thou 
didst  see  a  bear,  whose  feet  " 

The  king,  with  a  superior  smile,  waved  off 
this  vulgar  insinuation. 

"  May  Merodach  protect  the  king !  "  ejacu- 
lated Allit  with  growing  fear.  "  Didst  thou  see 
a  great  light  and  the  land  in  flames,  or  was  the 
god  Nergal  smiting  "  — 

"  Hold  !  "  cried  Nebuchadrezzar,  with  an  im- 
perative motion.  "The  king  dreams  not  after 
the  manner  of  his  subjects.  My  dream  is 
strange  to  the  written  annals  of  the  wise  men  of 
Babylon.  This  dream,"  —  the  king,  as  he  spoke, 
gestured  with  unusual  animation  and  impres- 
siveness, —  "  which  Ishtar  of  Arbela  in  conde- 
scension hath  sent  unto  me,  will  astound  the  art 
of  divination." 

Allit  knew  not  what  to  say.  He  felt  that  an 
epoch  was  at  hand.  He  dared  not  comment  one 
way  or  the  other,  lest  he  miss  a  guess,  and  his 
head  with  it.  He  took  the  safest  available 
course,  and  anxiously  suggested,  — 

"  Shall  I  not  summon  to  the  king,  whom 
Merodach  honors,  the  high  priest  of  Bel,  and 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS.  91 

Mutusa-ili  the  sage,  and  all  the  wise  men  of 
Babylon,  to  interpret  this  strange  and  wonderful 
dream  ?  " 

But  the  king  shook  his  head  pertinaciously. 

"  I  am  resolved.  The  goddess  hath  not  sent 
this  vision  to  me  in  vain.  Do  thou  make  pro- 
clamation in  my  name  as  follows  :  4  In  three 
days  let  all  the  wise  men  of  Babylon  assemble 
before  my  throne,  and  let  them  tell  the  king  his 
dream  and  interpret  the  same.  If  they  fail  I 
will  have  their  heads  for  it;  yea,  the  head  of 
every  soothsayer  in  the  land  will  I  smite  from 
his  neck.  Their  science  is  a  falsehood,  and  they 
eat  the  bread  of  wickedness,  and  shall  die ;  from 
the  highest  to  the  lowest  they  shall  be  cut  off. 
Thus  saith  Nebuchadrezzar,  first-born  of  Nabo- 
polassar,  and  son  of  Merodach,  the  king  of 
gods.' " 

This  was  the  edict  which  stunned  the  land. 
The  king  had  proposed  an  unheard-of  test.  Any 
one  could  interpret,  but  who  could  conjure  the 
dream  itself  ?  Mourning  was  in  Babylon,  and 
the  third  day  was  nigh  at  hand. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

ALLIT  himself  was  overwhelmed  when  he  heard 
the  incredible  edict  of  the  king.  He  knew  that 
to  attempt  to  divert  the  royal  dreamer  from  his 
purpose  by  pleading  was  as  foolish  as  to  tear  a 
hound  from  the  flank  of  a  wild  bull.  In  a  few 
hours,  when  he  heard  the  criers  proclaiming  the 
will  of  their  sovereign  about  the  streets  of  Baby- 
lon, Allit  began  to  realize  the  horror  of  the  situ- 
ation. He  was  not  especially  devout,  and  cared 
little  enough  whether  the  college  of  the  Chal- 
dean priesthood  were  blotted  out  or  not.  He 
had  small  faith  in  their  prognostications  ;  like  a 
true  soldier,  he  was  in  the  habit  of  dashing  at 
his  end.  What  was  an  omen  ?  Could  it  charge 
a  battalion  ?  "  Only  one  man  is  worth  a  bunch 
of  dates,"  he  said  to  himself ;  then  a  blinding 
doubt  smote  him.  Supposing  Mutusa-ili  should 
fail  ?  Could  he  ?  Preposterous  thought !  Allit 
grew  pale,  became  nervous  and  excitable.  "  No 
man  interpreteth  like  her  father,"  he  brooded  ; 
"  but  can  the  stars  reveal  to  him  the  dream  it- 
self ?  "  The  father  of  Lalitha  tortured  —  dead  ? 
Distressed  beyond  self-control,  Allit  hastened  to 
demand  audience  of  the  king. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  93 

"  There  is  mourning  among  the  Chaldeans,  O 
king,"  he  began  impetuously.  "  Wilt  thou  not 
forget  thine  edict,  and  shall  not  an  interpreta- 
tion satisfy  the  heart  of  the  king  ?  " 

Nebuchadrezzar  bristled  like  a  Parthian  lion. 

"  May  the  dragon,  whom  Merodach  my  lord 
hath  overcome,  smite  me  if  by  a  single  dent  in 
the  moistened  clay  I  remit  my  command  !  " 

The  courtier  forgot  himself  and  his  own  peril. 
He  was  not  accustomed  to  forget  himself  ;  but 
then  he  was  not  accustomed  to  remember  the 
house  of  Lalitha. 

"  But,  O  gracious  king,"  he  urged,  "  hast  thou 
forgotten  mercy?  Who  in  former  times  hath 
demanded  such  a  rare  thing  of  any  Chaldean  ? 
Wilt  thou  not  honor  him  who  doeth  the  king's 
pleasure,  and  thus  perchance  save  the  rest  ?  " 

The  blaze  of  lightning  on  the  countenance  of 
Nebuchadrezzar  turned,  at  this  fearless  plea,  into 
the  softness  of  a  spring  morning.  The  manly 
quality  of  generosity  ruled  in  the  king  after  a 
royal  fashion,  and  the  despotic  side  of  his  na- 
ture succumbed  to  it  with  moody  ease. 

"  Ah !  By  Nergal !  thou  art  the  light  of  mine 
eyes.  I  had  forgotten  the  balm  that  the  gods 
have  granted  unto  their  sovereign  representa- 
tives. Make  proclamation  that  he  who  showeth 
me  the  dream  and  the  interpretation  thereof 
shall  receive  of  me  gifts  and  rewards  and  great 


94  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

honor,  and  moreover  he  shall  save  the  carcasses 
of  all  Chaldeans  unto  life." 

So  it  came  about  that  this  second  mandate 
was  proclaimed  abroad  in  the  courts  of  the  wise 
men  and  in  the  temples  of  the  gods.  It  did  not 
soothe  the  apprehensions  of  the  magicians  and 
the  interpreters  as  one  might  expect  a  balm  to 
do.  The  more  lenient  favor  of  Nebuchadrezzar 
rather  seemed  to  emphasize  his  tyranny.  Neb- 
uchadrezzar presented  a  problem  older  than 
Babylon,  and  as  new  as  yesterday :  How  comes 
it  that  the  most  relentless  of  men  are  the  ten- 
derest  ? 

The  fears  of  Allit  were  allayed,  but  not  re- 
moved. He  paced  the  halls  of  the  palace  rest- 
lessly. His  tall,  broad  figure  loomed  against 
the  painted  pictures  of  the  gods  that  decorated 
the  courts  he  strode.  He  stopped  before  one  of 
these  and  angrily  regarded  it.  "  Canst  thou, 
picture  of  a  golden  image,  mighty  god  !  —  canst 
thou,  O  Bel,  teach  the  hidden  mysteries  of  the 
unknown  world  of  sleep  unto  Mutusa-ili  ?  " 

Allit  frowned  upon  the  protective  deity  of 
the  palace.  Poor  Lalitha  !  Poor  maiden  I  His 
thoughts  melted  at  the  vision  of  that  white- 
plumed  bird  in  her  bereaved  nest.  His  heart 
stormed  within  him  suddenly.  He  clenched  his 
hand  about  his  sword,  and  shook  it  at  the  effigy 
upon  the  wall;  the  god  seemed  to  taunt  him 
with  a  cold  smile. 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  95 

"  Thou  false  and  powerless  god ! "  exclaimed 
the  soldier.  "  If  her  father  fail,  by  the  seven 
planets,  that  change  not,  I  renounce  thee  and  all 
thy  brood,  and  will  follow  the  gods  of  even  "  — 
He  stopped  to  think  of  the  most  powerless  na- 
tion, the  most  down-trodden  gods  that  he  knew. 
His  heretical  outburst  was  interrupted  by  a  low, 
penetrating  voice,  which  uttered  in  his  very  ear 
two  startling  words,  —  "A.  Jeiu  ?  " 

As  a  javelin  whirrs  upon  its  deadly  errand, 
the  captain  of  the  king's  guard  wheeled.  The 
rash  interrupter  at  that  moment  stood  scanter 
chance  of  his  life  than  he  seemed  in  the  least 
aware  of.  He  Was  robed  in  white  ;  his  complex- 
ion was  of  the  transparency  of  a  flower  whose 
petals  are  smitten  by  the  sun.  The  youth's 
eyes  were  modestly  turned  down,  but  he  stood 
as  firm  as  one  of  those  erect  lions  that  support 
upon  their  backs  the  pillars  of  the  palace. 

"What!  thou,  Balatsu-usur  ?  "  Allit  spoke 
in  real  astonishment,  sheathing  his  sword. 

"Yea,  noble  captain,  it  is  I,"  said  Daniel. 
He  slowly  raised  his  eyes,  and  fixed  them  steadily 
upon  the  bold  glance  before  him.  "  And  well 
for  thee  that  it  is  only  I.  As  the  lost  traveler 
in  the  desert,  dying  of  a  mighty  thirst,  is  led  by 
his  horse  unerringly  unto  the  water  of  life,  so 
thy  heart  leadeth  thee  unto  the  Truth  of  truths." 

By  this  time  Allit  had  recovered  himself,  and, 


96  THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

looking  critically  upon  this  didactic  young  man, 
shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  Oh,  every  one  to  his  own  gods.  The  Jews 
have  theirs,  who  seems  to  have  little  power  to 
protect  them  ;  and  we  have  ours,  who  at  least 
tosses  us  victories,  as  I  toss  sweetmeats  to  a 
girl."  He  laughed  disdainfully. 

"  Far  be  the  day  that  makes  a  Jew  of  Allit ! 
Who  is  Jehovah  ?  Ask  Bel-Merodach !  " 

Daniel  did  not  answer  this  taunt ;  he  was  him- 
self courtier  enough  to  change  the  subject  with 
graceful  tact. 

"  The  king  hath  had  a  dream,"  he  said 
politely ;  "  it  trouble th  his  spirit.  Can  no  one 
of  the  Chaldeans  tell  him  his  dream  and  the  in- 
terpretation thereof  ?  " 

Allit's  trouble  came  back  to  his  mind  at  this 
question.  He  liked  Daniel,  and  had  always  re- 
spected him.  He  knew  that  the  sweeping  order 
included  this  fair  and  eminent  young  scholar, 
who  was  attached  to  the  University  of  Bel.  He 
looked  regretfully  upon  Daniel,  whose  blooming 
life  might  so  soon  be  crushed  out.  Allit,  like 
many  another  light  nature,  had  at  times  felt  the 
nameless  fear  with  which  this  dreamy  but  un- 
swerving Jew  inspired  those  who  approached 
him. 

"  No,"  replied  Allit,  in  a  new  tone,  "  I  am 
afraid  not,  unless,  Mutusa-ili,  father  of  La —  " 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.     97 

he  checked  himself —  "  unless  Mutusa-ili,"  he 
stammered,  "  be  the  man." 

"  Thou  art  right,"  returned  Daniel,  with  an 
inward  prayerful  look ;  "  perchance  we  all  die,  if 
Mutusa-ili  the  sage  hath  not  power  to  tell  the 
dream.  Thy  gods  Nebo  and  Bel-Merodach  have 
no  greater  magician  than  he." 

Allit  did  not  reply,  but  only  nodded,  looking 
mournfully  upon  the  ground.  Daniel  cast  a 
keen  glance  at  the  captain.  He  noticed  that  his 
friend  looked  thin  and  somewhat  pale.  The  as- 
pect of  his  face  seemed  at  war  with  his  notorious 
life.  Allit 's  expression  was  not  that  of  the  de- 
bauchee. The  Jew  was  a  young  man ;  and  he, 
too,  had  who  knew  what  private  views  of  Lali- 
tha  ?  whom  he  must  often  have  seen.  It  needed 
but  the  divination  of  youth  and  sensitiveness 
to  interpret  the  courtier's  condition.  But  what 
superhuman  wit  reviewed  this  human  intelli- 
gence ?  Daniel's  countenance  grew  vague  ;  his 
eye  dimmed ;  his  long,  thin  figure  trembled. 

"  Fear  thou  not,"  he  said,  in  a  piercing  whis- 
per. "  Jehovah  hath  not  ordained  the  bereave- 
ment of  the  maiden  from  this  cause." 

Allit  started,  with  a  vivid  blush.  What  ne- 
cromancy had  this  young  Jew,  whose  high  and 
stern  morality  silently  rebuked  the  practice  of 
the  court  at  which  he  was  a  captive  ?  The  cap- 
tain of  the  king  hastened  to  protest. 


98  THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS, 

"  By  Ishtar,  I  covet  not  the  maiden,  either 
from  her  father  or  from  herself.  I  dare  not.*' 

"  Behold,"  said  Daniel,  "  such  fear  as  thy  fear 
containeth  the  highest  courage  of  a  man.  Cul- 
tivate thou  it  in  God's  name  and  the  maiden's. 
Go  unto  her,  and  bid  her  take  courage  in  the 
name  of  Jehovah." 

Something  in  the  face  of  Daniel  awed  the  cap- 
tain of  the  guards.  Involuntarily  the  two  men 
clasped  hands  ;  they  were  silent.  Daniel  seemed 
to  warn  and  bless.  With  a  religious  gesture  he 
turned  and  went  his  way. 

Allit  did  not  linger  to  ponder  upon  the  per- 
plexing scene  between  himself  and  the  young 
Jew  ;  instead,  he  proceeded  to  obey  him.  Gird- 
ing up  his  robes,  he  hastened  to  find  Mutusa-ili 
at  his  house. 

Allit  had  walked  rapidly  through  the  palace, 
and  was  on  the  point  of  emerging  through  the 
brazen  gates  into  the  Nana  road,  when  he  heard 
a  puffing  behind  him,  and  a  disagreeable  voice 
called,  — 

44  Allit !  Brave  captain  !  Good  Allit,  I  bid 
thee  stop ! " 

It  was  the  voice  of  Ashpenaz.  The  captain 
had  halted,  with  an  undisguised  shrug  of  impa- 
tience, and  would  have  left  this  revolting  person 
in  the  lurch,  had  he  not  feared  that  the  chief 
eunuch  might  be  the  bearer  of  a  royal  message. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.  99 

"  Thou  art  a  plague,  O  mighty  captain,  and 
dost  rejoice  in  the  sweat  of  thy  servant.  Thou 
stridest  like  a  camel.  Who  can  overtake  thee  ? 
Here  is  the  summons  of  the  queen.  Here  is  her 
royal  seal."  The  gorgeous  and  unpleasant  dig- 
nitary fumbled  for  his  order,  which  lay  in  a  little 
clay  tablet  inclosed  in  a  gold  box. 

Allit  took  the  tablet  impatiently,  read  it  with 
a  scowl,  and  crushing  it  in  his  hand,  threw  the 
ball  far  into  the  moat.  The  eunuch  watched 
him  curiously,  but  said  nothing. 

"  Express  my  inconsolable  regrets  to  the 
queen,"  said  Allit,  impulsively,  "  but  I  am  de- 
parting for  a  space  on  inevitable  business.  In 
an  hour  I  shall  attend  her,  and  delight  myself 
with  the  radiance  of  her  presence." 

This  was  the  first  time  that  any  sulbject  had 
been  known  directly  to  disobey  the  queen,  or 
even  to  neglect  her  orders. 

Allit  turned,  made  a  profound  mock  saluta- 
tion to  the  prince  of  eunuchs,  and  hastened 
across  the  bridge  to  the  cottage  of  Mutusa-ili. 

The  eunuch  hurried  to  tell  the  queen  that 
Allit  had  refused  her  summons.  Ashpenaz  was 
as  wily  as  his  kind.  He  made  the  most  of  the 
defiance  in  Allit's  answer,  and  the  least  of  its 
deference. 

"  A  pest  upon  Amytis  !  "  thought  Allit  hotly. 
"This  time  the  proud  Median  shall  wait  my 


100          THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

will.  Must  I  dance,  a  slave,  to  tlie  nod  of  this 
shameful  queen?  Not  I,  and  Raman  shall  be 
my  guardian.  I  fear  her  not." 

But  almost  with  the  words  the  courtier  came 
to  himself.  The  danger  of  his  position  occurred 
to  him  like  a  discovery.  He  felt  as  if  he  had 
been  bewitched,  and  were  recovering  his  equi- 
poise. He  thought  of  Daniel  with  displeasure. 
He  dashed  off  the  Jew's  influence  with  the  whole 
strength  of  his  disdain.  What  could  that  pale- 
faced  boy  teach  him?  Was  he  to  be  awed 
by  a  pair  of  nebulous  eyes  and  high-sounding 
words  ?  Daniel  might  as  well  expect  to  rule  the 
province  of  Babylonia.  Save  Mutusa-ili  ?  Why 
had  he,  Allit,  the  favorite  of  the  court,  denied 
the  queen  ?  As  for  Lalitha,  he  had  kissed  a 
hundred  girls  fairer  and  prouder  than  she  ;  and 
was  he  to  be  daunted  by  a  coy  trick  ?  Of  course 
Mutusa-ili  must  be  saved  at  any  reasonable  cost. 
But  if  the  worst  came,  a  small  bribe  to  Kisrinni, 
and  Lalitha  was  his ;  and,  by  the  groves  of  Ish- 
tar,  his  she  should  be,  if  by  fraud  or  force  ! 
But  the  maiden  would  not  deny  him.  No  woman 
had  ever  done  that ;  not  even  the  queen.  Would 
Lalitha  be  the  first  to  say  him  nay  ? 

In  such  a  mood,  and  with  many  maledictions 
on  the  interfering  Jew,  and  on  himself  for  yield- 
ing so  tamely  to  the  spell  of  Daniel's  nature, 
Allit  arrived  at  the  barred  door  of  Mutusa-ili's 


THE  MASTER  01-^  TIt'E, 

house  and  gave  a  thundering  knock.  He  had  no 
sooner  done  so  than  his  heart  failed  within  him. 
The  imperious  captain  and  intrepid  reprobate 
collapsed,  even  at  the  sight  of  Kisrinni,  into  the 
timid  lover.  The  young  man  had  wit  enough 
left  to  marvel  at  his  own  moodiness  ;  the  whole 
situation  was  wearing  upon  what  in  these  days 
we  call  "  the  nervous  system."  But  no  Baby- 
lonian knew  that  he  had  nerves. 

The  slave  woman  received  Allit  trustfully. 
"  The  master  has  gone  to  the  temple,"  she  said, 
"  and  the  poor  maiden  is  alone.  I  will  conduct 
you  to  her,  mighty  sir." 

Kisrinni  preceded  the  visitor  to  the  apart- 
ments of  her  young  mistress.  Allit  followed, 
with  a  throbbing  heart.  No  shrine  in  the  land 
seemed,  to  the  man  of  pleasure,  so  sacred  as 
that  simple  room. 

Lalitha  lay  upon  her  couch.  A  short,  stout 
stick  beside  the  divan  showed  that  she  had 
attempted  to  walk.  Her  eyes  were  large  with 
weeping,  and  her  face  pale  with  the  portent  of 
an  immeasurable  danger. 

At  the  sight  of  Allit  she  impulsively  stretched 
out  both  hands  to  him,  and  then  drew  them 
quickly  back.  This  simple  act,  the  sweet  de- 
pendence and  the  instinctive  modesty  of  it,  had 
a  powerful  effect  upon  the  courtier.  Unknown 
delicacies  in  his  nature  seemed  to  rise  before  his 


:   \%&&ltf£STJlll*qF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

own  consciousness,  like  strange,  shy  creatures 
out  of  foreign  depths.  All  that  mad,  rude,  com- 
monplace reasoning  of  a  moment  ago  was  gone, 
—  who  knew  where,  who  knew  why  ?  When 
he  looked  into  the  pure  eyes  of  Lalitha,  Allit 
became  a  stranger  to  himself.  He  had,  not  a 
thought  that  he  could  not  have  uttered  to  the 
world. 

As  for  Kisrinni,  she  stood  discreetly,  close 
against  the  portiere,  a  bent,  gnarled  figure,  look- 
ing as  if  she  had  been  cut  from  the  trunk  of  an 
old  oak. 

Lalitha  spoke  first,  with  no  more  ceremony 
than  a  netted  bird  :  — 

"  My  father !  You  have  come  to  save  my 
poor  father !  " 

"  Would  to  all  the  gods  of  Chaldea  that  I 
had  !  "  protested  Allit ;  "  but  am  I  the  king  of 
Babylon?" 

"  Susa  said  you  were  the  king  behind  the 
king,"  said  Lalitha  simply.  She  turned  her 
wan  little  face  toward  him  so  confidingly  that 
the  tears  sprang  to  the  soldier's  eyes.  Unused 
to  such  emotion,  he  busied  himself  in  checking 
it,  and  did  not  reply  to  the  girl  for  the  moment. 
"  Ah,"  exclaimed  Lalitha  compassionately,  "  I 
am  sorry  I  made  you  cry.  I  did  not  mean  to." 

"  Thou  art  a  lovely  creature !  "  whispered 
Allit.  "  Thou  art  a  little  divinity  !  Thou  hast 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 


103 


wings,  and  fliest  from  me.     I  am  not  worthy  to 
kneel  in  the  dust  beneath  thy  feet." 

"  No  one  ever  spoke  to  me  like  that,"  said 
Lalitha.  "  I  do  not  know  how  to  answer  you." 

She  laid  her  head  back,  and  looked  at  Allit 
through  her  half-closed  eyes.  She  did  not  blush 
or  tremble.  The  poor  girl  was  too  sad  for  co- 
quetry. 

"  I  forget,"  she  added,  "  that  my  trouble  is 
not  your  trouble." 

"  It  shall  be  my  trouble  !  "  cried  Allit  hotly. 
"  And,  by  Bel-Merodach  and  all  his  godlings,  I 
will  do  for  thee  in  the  matter  as  if  Mutusa-ili 
were  father  to  myself." 

44 1  do  not  understand  these  things,"  pleaded 
Lalitha,  "  for  I  am  but  a  maiden  ;  but  tell  me, 
sir  captain,  is  not  my  father  a  wise  man?  " 

"  The  wisest  of  the  wise  in  Babylonia,"  re- 
turned Allit  promptly. 

"  Doth  he  not  interpret  the  dreaming  of 
dreams  skillfully?" 

"  Like  none  other  in  the  province." 

"  Can  he  not  tell  the  king  this  thing  demanded 
of  him  ?  Will  he  not  know  what  dream  the 
king  dreameth  ?  Is  that  beyond  the  art  of 
Mutusa-ili  ?  Is  not  my  father  as  wise  as  the 
mind  of  the  king  ?  " 

"The  mind  of  the  king  is  as  the  mind  of 
a  madman  !  "  blazed  Allit  imprudently.  "  Be 


104         THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

comforted.  Thy  father  is  wiser  than  the  son  of 
Meroclach.  Weep  no  more." 

"  I  cannot  help  it,"  sighed  Lalitha.  "  I  am 
very  sad.  I  perceive  that  my  father  is  sorely 
troubled  in  spirit.  Tell  me,  honorable  sir,  can 
they  put  my  father  to  his  death  if  he  read  not 
the  dream  of  the  king?  " 

"  May  Beltis,  Queen  of  the  Land,  brood  over 
thee,  poor  bird !  "  said  Allit ;  "  but  if  thou  put- 
test  me  on  mine  oath,  I  must  tell  thee  that  the 
deed  can  be  done.  Even  in  Babylon  can  such 
a  deed  be  done." 

"  But  will  they  ?  "  persisted  Lalitha,  raising 
herself  on  one  arm,  and  staring  piteously  in  the 
soldier's  face  ;  the  crimson  and  white  coverlet  of 
her  couch  quivered  with  the  trembling  of  her 
delicate,  sorrow-shaken  body. 

"  By  my  soul,  and  by  my  faith,  and  by  the 
honor  of  Babylon,  they  shall  not,  then  !  "  cried 
Allit,  starting  to  his  feet.  The  dark  color 
rushed  over  his  swarthy  face.  His  tall  height 
rose  before  the  girl  like  a  fortified  gate.  "  By 
my  life,  I  will  save  unto  thee  thy  father,  if  I  die 
for  him  !  " 

A  strange  pang  wrenched  the  heart  of  the 
girl.  It  was  like  a  new  disease.  She  did  not 
know  what  it  meant.  She  felt  suddenly  very 
faint,  and  thrust  her  hands  out  pleadingly.  The 
gay  Babylonian  did  not  touch  her.  He  bowed 


THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         105 

his  head  silently  before  her,  crossed  his  arms 
in  the  attitude  of  religious  reverence,  and  left 
her  without  another  word. 

As  he  departed  from  the  house,  a  slave  girl 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street  veiled  herself, 
and  hastened  away  with  the  air  of  one  who  avoids 
recognition.  The  captain  of  the  guards  was  too 
abstracted  to  notice,  and  if  he  had,  would  not 
have  recognized  the  figure  of  Mariamnu,  the 
Jewish  captive,  slave  and  forced  spy  of  Amytis 
the  queen. 

Allit  hastened  at  great  speed  back  to  the 
palace.  He  was  absorbed  in  the  idea  of  saving 
Mutusa-ili.  Moreover,  he  felt  the  necessity  of 
retrieving  himself  with  the  queen,  though  he 
revolted  from  her  at  this  crisis  with  as  much 
ardor  as  he  had  formerly  expended  in  parry- 
ing the  pursuit  of  his  royal  leopardess.  On 
his  arrival,  he  pushed  his  way  as  far  as  the  en- 
trance to  the  intoxicating  gardens  where  we  have 
already  seen  her.  Expecting  an  immediate  sum- 
mons to  her  presence,  as  usual,  for  Allit  never 
waited  long  in  vain,  he  was  stunned  when  a  slave 
brought  him  word,  with  that  indefinable  lack  of 
respect  that  is  so  quickly  adopted  toward  fallen 
favorites,. that  the  queen  could  not  receive  him. 
She  was  occupied  with  affairs,  and  Ashpenaz 
attended  her.  The  slave  of  the  queen  looked  at 
the  captain  with  veiled  insolence,  and  abruptly 


106          THE  MASTER    OF    THE  MAGICIANS. 

turned  away.  Allit,  in  a  storm  of  bewilderment, 
departed  hastily  from  the  court  of  the  women. 
Perhaps  it  was  only  the  coquette's  caprice.  But 
the  break,  if  it  must  come,  might  as  well  come 
now.  As  he  returned  to  his  quarters  at  the 
gate,  another  slave,  with  uiidiminished  deference, 
handed  to  him  the  king's  orders.  These  were 
written  on  clay  and  stamped  with  the  royal  seal. 
The  tablet  was  then  enveloped  with  a  thick  coat- 
ing of  a  coarser  earth.  Allit's  name  and  title 
were  on  the  outside  cover,  which  he  easily  broke 
away,  leaving  the  inner  writing  plain  to  the  eye. 
He  read,  — 

"  On  receipt,  do  thou  immediately  arrest  and 
imprison  all  the  wise  men  in  the  city  of  the 
Gate  of  God.  On  thy  head,  do  thou  guard 
them,  and  let  not  one  escape" 

This  was  stamped  with  the  royal  lapis-lazuli 
seal,  upon  which  Bel-Merodach,  with  uplifted 
hand  and  sword,  attacked  and  put  to  flight  the 
dragon  of  disorder,  a  monster  half  lion  and  half 
eagle.  Such  was  the  mandate  and  the  crest  of 
Nebuchadrezzar,  king  and  builder  of  Babylon, 
son  of  Merodach,  beloved  of  the  gods. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  gates  of  the  university  were  closed. 
The  boys,  headed  by  Susa,  were  in  a  state  of 
patriotic  rebellion.  Mutusa-ili,  their  master,  was 
under  strict  arrest,  and  the  boys  were  fond  of 
him.  Even  now,  at  trumpet-call,  the  venerable 
scholar  was  dragged  (it  is  true,  with  great  ten- 
derness) to  the  audience  chamber  of  the  king. 
Nearly  a  thousand  wise  men  were  solemnly 
marched  into  the  imposing  hall,  and  were  sta- 
tioned in  long  ranks  before  the  high  and  as  yet 
empty  throne  of  the  king  and  queen. 

Mutusa-ili,  white-haired,  bowed  with  the 
weight  of  a  crushing  responsibility,  stood  si- 
lently. Beside  him,  wearing  an  air  of  forced 
ease,  Allit  lifted  his  high  bronze  helmet  to  cool 
his  forehead,  or  nervously  toyed  with  the  gilt 
rosettes  that  ornamented  his  linen  breastplate. 
An  attendant  carried  his  shield  and  quiver. 
He  held  his  own  richly  decorated  bow.  Allit 
watched  his  dignified  but  downcast  captive  ap- 
prehensively. He  was  revolving  the  problem  of 
the  sage's  possible  escape.  The  how  and  the 
when  tormented  him.  Behind  him  were  the 


108         THE  MASTER  OF    THE  MAGICIANS. 

Rab-mag,  high  priest  and  chief  conjurer  of  Bit- 
Sagila,  the  seven-staged  temple  of  Bel,  and  the 
chief  divines  of  Bit-Zida  the  temple  of  Nebo  at 
Borsippa,  which  was  now  undergoing  reconstruc- 
tion. 

"  By  the  sun  of  Sippara,  these  fat,  beflounced 
priests  look  glum  enough.  I  fancy  our  king 
tosseth  them  as  a  wild  ox  doth  a  rabbit.  I 
paid  two  maneh  for  a  false  sign,  the  other  day. 
It  serves  the  greedy  dogs  right,"  whispered  an 
irreverent  foreign  subaltern  to  his  mate,  as  they 
closed  the  rear  of  this  woebegone  procession. 

The  huge  and  stately  audience  hall  was  built 
in  the  form  of  a  Greek  cross,  whose  transverse 
arms  were  three  times  the  breadth  and  twice  the 
length  of  the  other  two.  The  pavement  was  of 
glazed  red  brick,  but  upon  each  block,  before  it 
was  burned,  writing  was  inscribed.  The  whole 
floor  became  thus  a  large  and  imperishable  mon- 
ument, describing,  in  characters  that  the  world 
might  read,  the  achievements  of  the  king.  The 
gates  were  of  bronze  and  cedar.  Two  human- 
headed  bulls,  of  sacred  import,  confronted  the 
entrance.  These  were  twice  the  height  of  the 
tallest  warrior,  and  were  carved  of  gray  marble 
before  they  left  the  heart  of  the  mountain  to  be 
sent  down  the  sacred  river. 

Mutusa-ili  stood  before  the  throne.  It  was 
Nebuchadrezzar's  throne  of  high  justice.  Seated 


THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         109 

upon  this,  the  monarch  rendered  decisions  that 
shook  the  land  from  the  source  of  the  "  glitter- 
ing arrow " 1  to  its  fortified  outlet,  from  the 
Zagros  mountains  to  the  summits  of  Lebanon. 

A  nod  from  the  ivory  throne  mulcted  the 
swift  Arabians  of  their  fragrant  fields.  A 
glance  hurled  ten  thousand  chariots  and  one 
hundred  and  twenty  thousand  horsemen  west- 
ward upon  Jehoiakim  and  Necho,  upon  Tyre  and 
Jerusalem.  A  scowl  from  the  Chaldean  mon- 
arch, and  Zedekiah  fell.  A  sign,  and  Uaphris 
lost  Egypt  and  his  life.  A  word,  and  twenty 
thousand  captives  breathed  the  deadly  sirocco  of 
the  deserts,  on  their  weary  march  to  the  city  of 
the  conqueror.  Whenever  this  baleful  throne 
was  occupied,  it  meant  misery :  either  new 
crowds  of  captives,  Jews,  Egyptians,  Moabites, 
or  Arabians,  began  to  make  burning  bricks  be- 
neath the  fiery  sun ;  or  native  and  unfaithful 
subjects  lost  their  heads  and  were  mutilated 
upon  the  city  walls. 

Truly,  a  fateful  hall !  Verily,  a  bloody  throne  ! 
The  wisdom  of  the  Chaldeans  appealed  from  it 
on  this  mournful  day  to  their  greatest  of  sages. 
The  priests  closely  watched  their  chief  and 
spokesman;  all  of  them  were  curious,  a  few 
hopeful,  but  more  undisguisedly  despaired. 

Mutusa-ili  regarded  none.     His  eyes  mechani- 

1  The  Tigris. 


110         THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

cally  read  the  prowess  of  his  master  in  the  in- 
scription at  his  feet.  Then  they  sought  the 
massive  supports  of  the  dazzling  dais.  Four 
golden  lions  upheld  the  fretted  pedestals.  Each 
clutched  a  victim  in  its  claws.  The  first  was  a 
Nubian ;  the  second,  an  Egyptian  ;  the  third,  a 
Jew  ;  and  the  fourth,  an  Armenian  mountaineer. 
The  ghastly  group  was  life-size,  and  represented 
the  conquest  of  the  world.  Each  victim  was 
carved  of  alabaster,  and  was  painted  his  native 
hue.  The  artist,  moreover,  had  depicted  blood 
so  naturally  upon  the  wounds  that,  as  one  looked, 
it  seemed  to  flow.  The  spectacle  had  a  ghastly 
fascination. 

The  sage's  eyes  grew  dark  as  they  bent  upon 
these  emblems  of  tyranny  ;  then  they  softened, 
in  spite  of  himself,  for  Nebuchadrezzar,  no  mat- 
ter what  his  hot  and  variant  moods,  was  dear  to 
Mutusa-ili. 

But  now  tears  of  burning  shame  blinded  him, 
for  the  seer  had  consulted  the  stars  in  vain.  He 
had  spent  hours  of  the  night  in  wasted  prayer. 
The  Babylonian  gods,  one  and  all,  had  veiled 
themselves,  and  granted  not  a  sign,  not  an  inspi- 
ration. And  was  this  to  be  the  end  of  a  sacred 
life  ?  Where  was  Nebo  ?  Surely,  Merodach,  the 
god  of  justice,  could  not  oppress  his  servant? 
Was  Adar  a-hunting  ?  It  could  not  be  that  the 
ears  of  mighty  Nergal  were  heavy  with  the  din 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         Ill 

of  battle?  Is  it  possible  that  Ishtar  wantons 
in  deadly  sport  with  her  aged  devotee  ?  Nay, 
teacher  of  mankind,  hide  not  thy  head  when  thy 
worshiper  kneels  for  an  understanding  mind,  to 
penetrate  the  secrets  of  the  heart !  Alas,  Belus, 
King  of  Spirits,  canst  thou  not  leave  Nipur  but 
for  the  space  of  a  single  watch,  to  give  an  old 
man  peace  ?  Is  Anu  dead  ?  If  so,  of  what 
avail  is  Erech?  Whither  shall  the  shattered 
spirit  depart,  when  the  king  commands  to  die  ? 

Mutusa-ili  dared  not  breathe  these  horrid  her- 
esies. "  O,  gods,  —  if  ye  be  gods,  —  blast  a 
stricken  heart,  sunken  in  despair !  But  are  all 
the  gods  of  Babylon  but  breath  ?  And  are  my 
only  hopes,  the  stars,  decadent  from  their 
courses  ?  " 

Thus  the  trembling  man  despaired,  not  at  the 
vision  of  death,  but  of  faith.  The  religious  be- 
lief that  his  intelligence  had  recently  begun  to 
question,  but  which  his  pride  and  habit  openly 
accepted,  was  unveiled  of  its  imbecility  before 
this  fierce  crisis.  Mutusa-ili  knew  perfectly 
well,  as  he  stood  awaiting  the  king's  approach, 
that  neither  he  nor  any  other  priest,  soothsayer, 
or  diviner  could  tell  the  dream.  He  felt  the 
dishonor  of  a  false  position.  He  saw  a  thousand 
lives  hanging  on  a  pretense  to  spurious  wisdom. 
How  soon  would  he,  who  had  been  revered  above 
all  the  wise  men  of  Babylon,  be  loathed  as  a  pit- 


112         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

if  ul  pretender !  He  cast  his  eyes  about  to  see  if 
Daniel  were  near.  An  impulse  of  reverence  for 
the  young  man's  intrepid  fidelity  to  a  religion 
unpopular  at  court  swept  over  Mutusa-ili.  At 
that  moment  he  envied  the  young  Jew  his  sim- 
ple manliness.  He  was  adrift  himself,  as  much 
as  a  solitary  acorn  swept  upon  the  current  of 
the  Life  of  the  World.1 

Allit  had  been  watching  his  charge  narrowly. 
A  great  pity,  strange  enough  to  this  careless 
soldier,  almost  overcame  the  captain.  It  needed 
but  a  glance  to  see  that  Mutusa-ili  could  no 
more  tell  the  king's  dream  and  interpret  it  than 
one  of  the  captives  painted  in  the  brilliant  frieze 
above  them.  A  sullen  despair  now  seized  Allit. 
The  scanty  hope  he  had  so  assiduously  petted 
flew  away  as  suddenly  as  a  scarlet  flamingo 
startled  by  a  wounded  boar.  He  looked  sternly 
around ;  perhaps  he  might  see  one  single  face 
lighted  with  the  glimmer  of  an  inspiration.  He 
only  encountered  gloomy,  stolid,  self-restrained 
priests  who  were  as  ignorant  of  the  great  laws  of 
mind  as  the  bow  he  held.  Here  and  there  were 
strange  faces.  Many  chief  priests  and  their 
assistants  from  famous  temples  had  journeyed 
hither  for  consultation  and  to  feast  themselves  in 
the  capital.  These  also  had  been  unceremoni- 
ously apprehended,  and  had  not  the  look  of  men 

1  The  Euphrates. 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         113 

who  enjoyed  this  startling  opportunity  to  test 
their  professional  skill. 

At  this  moment  the  bow  fell  from  Allit's  hand, 
and  clattered  on  the  pavement.  The  captain 
turned  deadly  pale,  beneath  his  painted  cheeks, 
at  this  portentous  omen.  Emotions  of  vague 
terror  became  communicated,  as  such  subtleties 
are,  from  man  to  man.  Strong  captives  trem- 
bled in  the  sudden  stillness,  and  coarse  soldiers 
grasped  their  weapons  the  tighter.  No  one 
stepped  forward  to  pick  up  the  innocent  bow. 
Allit  stood  haughtily  erect,  but  not  a  slave 
sprang  to  his  duty. 

"  How  now,  my  brave  brother !  A  captain  of 
the  king  hath  need  of  his  weapons,  this  bloody 
day.  Take  thy  bow  and  hold  it." 

A  graceful  boy,  flying  his  brilliant  mantle 
over  his  shoulders,  stooped  and  mockingly  held 
the  weapon  out. 

"What!  Susa?  Thou  here?  Get  thee  gone, 
or  the  king  condemn  thee  also." 

"  I  ?m  afraid  he  has,  Allit.  A  company  led 
by  Ashpenaz  drove  us  boys  like  sheep  in  here, 
—  and  by  our  Lady  Ishtar  here  I  am.  I  begin 
already  to  see  vultures  and  smell  death." 

Susa  laughed  merrily.  His  undaunted  look 
encountered  his  brother's  dark  frown.  He 
glanced,  with  the  contemptuousness  of  a  boy, 
over  the  rabble  of  lesser  magicians  cowering  be- 


114         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

fore  their  imminent  doom.  Softly  Susa's  gaze 
went  back  to  his  brother,  and  thence  to  his  dear 
master,  Mutusa-ili.  Then  the  lad  impetuously 
cast  himself  at  the  old  man's  feet,  and  put  his 
forehead  beneath  the  scholar's  dry  and  trembling 
hand.  Susa  broke  into  something  like  a  sob. 

"  O  my  master,  my  lord  !  May  Nebo  pre- 
serve thee  !  How  can  the  king  harm  thee  f  If 
I  were  a  king,  I  would  fight  him  for  it,  and 
protect  thee." 

Allit  was  in  torment.  Was  everything  dear 
to  him  to  be  blotted  out  on  this  accursed  day  ? 
He  turned  fiercely.  For  the  moment  he  re- 
garded the  two  with  indecision :  the  venerable 
master  and  irreverent  lad  were  clasping  each 
other.  The  boy  rose  to  his  feet  slowly,  still 
bending  his  head  under  the  old  man's  silent  ben- 
ediction. They  moved  apart,  but  spoke  no 
words.  Then  Allit's  heart  burst  aflame.  The 
father  of  Lalitha,  that  white  bird,  —  and  Susa, 
whom  his  mother  swore  him  to  protect  until  the 
two-part  earthen  jar  1  closed  over  the  elder  or 
younger  son ! 

"  By  the  seven  dark-browed  thunders !  "  mut- 
tered Allit,  "  ye  shall  not  die,  or  all  the  gods 
in  Babylon  avail  not  to  protect  the  son  of  false 
Merodach  from  my  vengeance  "  — 

He   stopped   in   the  midst   of   the  first  trea- 

1  The  coffin. 


THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         115 

son  that  his  hot  blood  had  ever  forced  to  his 
lips. 

"Ah  — ah?" 

The  low  breathing  of  this  disdainful  interroga- 
tion brought  the  captain  to  his  usual  composure. 
He  took  his  hand  from  his  sword  lightly,  and 
with  graceful  energy  motioned  his  captives  back 
into  line  ;  as  he  did  so,  he  bowed  superciliously 
to  the  wily  eunuch.  Ashpenaz  darted  a  stinging 
look  from  his  narrow  eyes,  but  he  added  no  pri- 
vate rebuke.  When  he  spoke,  it  was  loudly 
enough,  so  that  every  one  could  hear  him  :  — 

"  The  king,  whom  Merodach  his  father  pro- 
tects, approaches.  Let  his  favorite  captain  at- 
tend him  to  his  throne." 

The  faint  music  of  stringed  instruments  was 
now  heard  droning  its  plaintive  way  through  the 
corridors.  The  arrested  soothsayers  arranged 
themselves  quickly  in  solemn  and  picturesque 
lines.  Soldiers  bearing  spears  surrounded  the 
priests,  and  assumed  a  reverential  posture.  Al- 
ii t  hastened  to  the  brazen  doors.  The  stately 
procession  advanced  with  measured  tread.  A 
band  of  eleven  musicians  preceded  it.  Seven 
struck  the  harp  ;  the  rest  played  the  flute  and  the 
lyre.  Following  them,  a  choir  of  nine  boys  and 
six  women  sang  with  uplifted  hands  and  averted 
eyes,  the  praises  of  the  king.  Ashpenaz,  the 
major-domo  of  the  palace,  stood  opposite  Allit  at 


116         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

the  doors,  and  regarded  his  trained  musicians 
critically.  These  played  and  sang  with  sad  pre- 
cision. They  were  the  most  beautiful  of  all  the 
Jewish  captives  of  a  lower  rank.  At  a  sign 
from  their  leader,  the  hymn  of  praise  burst  forth. 

Thou  king  of  lions, 
Conqueror  of  conquerors, 
Destroyer  of  nations, 
Shepherd  of  thy  people, 
Destined  of  the  gods ! 

As  the  full  force  of  the  clear,  boyish  chorus 
fell,  a  single  voice  penetrated  the  obeisant  si- 
lence of  the  audience  room.  It  was  the  voice 
of  a  woman,  young,  and  trained  to  her  art. 
A  glance  at  her  face,  which  bore  a  sensitive  re- 
luctance, and  seemed  to  be  pleading  for  a  veil 
denied  it,  revealed  Mariamnu,  favorite  of  the 
queen,  the  Hebrew  slave  and  singer,  soprano  of 
the  court. 

Thus  sang  Mariamnu  :  — 

The  world  is  at  thy  feet ; 

There  lie  we. 

Strike  the  timbrel  sweet, 

Let  the  sackbut  ring. 

Fair  the  fetters  be, 

Glad  the  captives  sing, 

With  the  world  beneath  thy  feet, 

Here  lie  we. 

As  the  pathetic  tones  ceased,  certain  of  the 
captive  Jews  exchanged  significant  looks  appre- 


THE  MASTER   OF  TEE  MAGICIANS.         117 

ciative  of  this  adulatory  sarcasm,  which  was  too 
fine  for  the  royal  perception. 

Nebuchadrezzar  walked  in  more  than  solemn 
state,  as  befitted  the  dignity  due  to  such  a  rare 
decree.  Before  him,  two  attendants  waved  fans 
of  peacock's  feathers,  whose  prismatic  tints 
looked  like  bronze  rainbows  high  overhead.  Be- 
side him,  in  honor  of  this  sinister  event,  the 
queen  was  borne  upon  a  purple  palanquin. 
Boys  swung  burning  incense  at  her  side.  Be- 
hind the  royal  pair,  two  more  attendants  held 
artfully  embroidered  umbrellas  over  them  ;  these 
were  emblematic  of  absolute  sovereignty.  As 
the  king  strode  beneath  the  cedar  lintel,  he 
paused,  and  cast  a  cruel  look  over  the  vast  and 
crowded  audience  hall.  As  moist  and  vigorous 
wheat  droops  instantly  beneath  the  sirocco,  the 
doomed  priests  dropped  upon  their  knees  and 
touched  their  foreheads  to  the  inscribed  bricks. 
The  musicians  had  marched  ahead,  and  had 
taken  their  places  behind  the  thrones.  Their 
harps  were  silent. 

The  king  seemed  to  enjoy  the  fear  which 
he  excited.  The  ranks  of  despairing  devotees 
stretched  forth  their  hands,  and  lifted  their 
heads,  and  then  dropped  them  to  the  pavement, 
after  their  fashion,  with  painful  regularity. 
They  uttered  no  cry  for  mercy.  They  were 
dumb  with  terror.  Of  them  all,  one  only  bowed 


118         THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

low  in  a  respectful  posture,  but  did  not  abase 
himself. 

The  king  observed  the  exception,  and  flung 
at  the  sage  a  look  of  mingled  contempt  and  re- 
spect. Amytis,  noting  the  king's  expression, 
yawned  a  little ;  a  sneer  sat  upon  her  handsome 
face.  The  train  advanced.  Ashpenaz  hastened 
to  assist  the  king  to  mount  the  throne.  The 
captain  stepped  forward,  with  a  profound  mili- 
tary salute. 

The  musicians  and  the  captives  looked  on 
drearily.  When  the  queen  descended  from  her 
litter  and  took  her  position  on  the  smaller  throne 
beside  the  king's,  the  buzzing  of  a  bee  could  have 
been  heard  in  that  vast  court.  The  sun  glanced 
in  cheerily  from  above,  and  seemed  to  have  the 
only  glad  heart  there.  The  king's  scowl  deep- 
ened. His  eyes  were  wild  and  blood-shot.  He 
looked  like  a  soothsayer  in  a  forced  frenzy.  The 
stricken  men  arose.  As  Nebuchadrezzar  seated 
himself  upon  the  throne,  the  musicians  struck  a 
resounding  chord,  and  a  low  murmur  of  admira- 
tion arose  and  swelled  from  his  assembled  sub- 
jects. 

In  recognition  of  this  prompt  tribute,  the 
monarch,  whose  morbid  appetite  such  flattery 
often  satisfied,  brightened.  A  more  hopeful 
atmosphere  stole  like  an  incantation  into  the 
audience  room. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         119 

The  king  leaned  back,  and  glanced  again 
about  him,  whispered  a  word  to  Amytis,  and 
smiled.  As  for  her,  she  looked  at  Allit;  dis- 
pleasure and  infatuation  struggled  in  her  eyes. 
The  despot  made  a  well-known  sign  to  his  fa- 
vorite captain.  Allit  nodded  towards  the  doors, 
and  a  large  crowd  of  citizens  rushed  in  and 
filled  the  suffocating  hall.  In  all-important  judg- 
ments the  people  had  free  access  to  the  court. 
A  few  officials  and  favored  citizens  had  reserved 
privileges,  and  moved  to  prominent  seats  with 
the  leisure  of  position.  Among  these  were 
Egibi  the  banker,  and  Ina,  his  daughter.  Al- 
lit, when  he  saw  her,  was  diverted  for  the  mo- 
ment from  his  gloom.  He  had  the  pleasing  sen- 
sations of  a  man  who  is  beloved  by  a  belle  to 
whom  he  is  indifferent.  He  glanced  gallantly 
at  Ina.  In  this  passing  preoccupation,  he  failed 
to  observe  the  entrance  among  the  common 
crowd  of  two  veiled  women,  one,  it  seemed,  el- 
derly, and  one  quite  young,  who  attracted  a  cer- 
tain attention  because  of  their  very  effort  to 
avoid  it.  Babylonian  ladies  were  not  so  modest, 
as  a  rule,  that  a  veiled  face  and  figure  and 
shrinking  manner  could  wholly  escape  notice. 

And  now  the  trumpet  commanded  silence.  It 
was  obeyed ;  the  mass  of  humanity  in  the  great 
hall  seemed  to  breathe  like  one  agitated  man. 
Mutusa-ili  regarded  no  one.  His  eyes  were  on 


120          THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

the  claws  of  the  throne.  The  king  stirred,  and 
slowly  turned  his  dark  glance  abroad  ;  it  moved 
over  the  swaying  crowds  like  a  cloud,  rested 
upon  the  priests  gloomily,  then  concentrated 
itself.  Perhaps  two  thousand  people  were  in 
the  audience  room.  Of  these,  Nebuchadrezzar 
began  to  appear  conscious  of  the  existence  of 
only  one.  He  observed  his  favorite  astrologer 
and  master  with  an  expression  half  of  hope,  half 
distrust,  but  wholly  intense  and  terrible.  Mu- 
tusa-ili  drew  a  long  breath,  lifted  his  head  with 
a  greater  than  royal  majesty,  and  their  eyes  met. 
Monarch  and  soothsayer  studied  each  other. 


CHAPTER  X. 

"  AKE  all  here  ?  "  Nebuchadrezzar  turned 
his  mace  towards  his  captain,  while  his  eyes  still 
clung  to  the  old  man. 

"  O  king,  live  forever !  Yea,  all  are  before 
thee,  save  a  few  young  men  of  the  captivity." 

"They  can  be  found?" 

"  Yea,  my  lord  the  king." 

"  Let  them  stay  for  one  more  watch.  My 
mercy  giveth  them  two  hours'  grace  after  Sin, 
the  brilliant  god,  hath  given  up  these  carcasses 
to  the  wild  beasts  that  wander  without  my  city 
wall.  Let  this  decree  go  forth." 

"  My  lord  the  son  of  Merodach  commands, 
and  I  obey." 

Allit  bowed  his  head  to  the  pavement,  while 
his  breath  within  him  stopped  for  joy  that 
Balatsu-usur  was  still  safe.  But  what  could  that 
young  Jew  do  ?  Nay,  what  could  he  not  do  ? 
Thus  the  heart  of  Allit  consoled  him,  in  this  hour 
when  love  and  life  hung  on  a  madman's  dream. 

"  So !  all  are  here  ?  And  for  what  ?  Did 
Ishtar  mock  me  with  a  dream  ?  Tell  me,  Allit, 
didst  thou  say  that  all  are  before  me?  " 


122         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  Verily,  O  king,  thou  didst  hear  thy  servant 
say,  Yea," 

"  Truly  I  have  power.  Hath  Bel  more  ? 
Nebuchadrezzar's  planet  hath  come.  Tell  me, 
old  astrologer,  when  shall  that  mighty  star  ap- 
pear that  flashed  upon  the  zenith  from  north  to 
south,  whose  tail  spread  like  a  reptile,  and  Elam 
was  ravaged  by  the  first  Nebuchadrezzar,  five 
hundred  periods  ago  ?  It  shall  come.  It  shall 
come.  Nebo  shall  protect  my  crown.  I  have 
power  to  raise  on  high  and  to  kill.  I  am  the 
son  of  Merodach.  He  that  denies  it  dies  in  the 
dust  before  me,  for  I  am  a  god." 

The  king  rose,  in  a  frenzy  of  excitement.  His 
eyes  seemed  about  to  burst  from  his  head.  His 
high  tiara  trembled,  his  hands  shook.  He 
frothed  at  the  mouth,  and  withal  looked  so  ter- 
rible that  soldiers,  priests,  and  citizens  hid  their 
faces  in  their  hands  upon  their  knees,  before 
this  outburst  of  royal  mania.  At  this  moment 
Nebuchadrezzar  seemed  inspired,  and  many 
secretly  repeated  exorcisms  to  preserve  them 
from  his  divinity.  Allit  was  one  of  the  few 
who  had  a  suspicion  that  the  dream,  whatever 
it  was,  prolonged  sleeplessness,  and  religious 
brooding  had  produced  fever,  and  a  consequent 
aberration  of  the  intellect.  But  the  multitude, 
having  no  such  scientific  explanation  of  the 
king's  condition,  swayed  like  stricken  grain  be- 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         123 

fore  the  throne.  This  exhibition  of  power  paci- 
fied the  king ;  he  rested  grimly,  as  a  lion  does 
before  a  fatal  leap. 

"  Arise,  my  children.  I  am  the  shepherd  of 
my  people.  Behold  the  justice  of  the  king." 

Of  course  they  all  scrambled  up  as  fast  as 
they  could.  Susa  happened  to  be  prostrate  be- 
hind Ashpenaz,  and  was  playing  with  the  bril- 
liant fringe  of  the  eunuch's  robe.  •  As  the 
corpulent  major-domo  had  with  much  difficulty 
almost  regained  his  feet,  Susa  gave  his  robe  a 
quick  jerk,  and  Ashpenaz  fell  backwards  with 
a  loud  crash,  and  rolled  bellowing  before  the 
throne.  Here  the  eunuch  lay  upon  his  broad 
back,  and  called  upon  half  the  gods  of  his  ac- 
quaintance ;  for  he  could  no  more  turn  over  than 
a  turtle. 

Susa  laughed  outright,  and  immediately  Allit 
turned  his  head  away.  Mutusa-ili,  however, 
took  a  quick  step  forward  to  help  Ashpenaz  to 
his  feet.  Thereupon,  for  the  first  time  that  fate- 
ful day,  Nebuchadrezzar  was  seen  to  smile.  He 
took  no  further  notice  of  Mutusa-ili  than  to 
order  him  back  by  a  gesture  with  one  hand, 
while  with  the  other  he  beckoned  Susa. 

"  Hallo,  thou  young  dog !  Is  it  thus  that 
thou  dost  reverence  the  baldness  of  thy  superior  ? 
Fly,  and  raise  thy  fallen  victim,  or,  by  the  city 
of  my  hands,  I  give  thee  to  the  fiery  furnace." 


124         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  I  try,  O  king,"  said  Susa,  repressing  a  droll 
look  and  rushing  up  to  Ashpenaz,  "  but  do  the 
gods  decree  that  a  stripling  shall  move  a  moun- 
tain?" 

It  was  all  the  front  rank  could  do  to  restrain 
their  smiles  as  Susa  began  to  wrestle  (making 
as  much  as  he  might  of  the  deed)  with  the  mas- 
ter of  ceremonies.  The  king  stroked  his  beard 
to  conceal  his  amusement. 

"  O  my  lord  the  king,"  wailed  the  eunuch, 
"  he  puncheth  me  ;  yea,  between  the  ribs  doth 
he  punch  me  more  than  his  duty  requireth." 

"  My  lord  the  king,"  protested  Susa  merrily, 
"  he  sprawleth  ;  yea,  he  sprawleth  in  thy  presence 
more  than  his  case  requireth." 

Amid  groans  and  curses  Ashpenaz  regained 
his  equilibrium.  His  scarf  of  office  was  torn, 
his  fringe  mangled,  and  he  looked  generally 
so  discomfited  and  disreputable  that  one  might 
even  have  compassionated  him  but  for  the  sour 
temper  in  which  he  received  the  lad's  mischief. 

"  O  king,  hear  thy  servant."  His  shrill  voice 
shook  with  rage  and  chagrin.  "  I  demand  his 
head,  even  the  head  of  this  cub  do  I  demand." 

Nebuchadrezzar  turned  his  face,  upon  which 
anger  was  admirably  feigned,  toward  Susa.  The 
lad  had  always  been  one  of  his  favorites. 

"Take  him  out  and  away."  Two  soldiers 
sprang  to  obey. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         125 

"Whither?  To  the  City  of  Death?"  asked 
Susa,  smiling  saucily  at  the  owner  of  a  million 
lives.  The  lad  stood  undaunted.  The  contrast 
between  the  brave  boy  and  the  cringing  priests 
was  too  evident  to  go  unnoticed,  and  the  king, 
who  loved  courage  above  all  other  virtues,  hard- 
ened his  heart  against  the  soothsayers,  and  loved 
the  brother  of  Allit,  his  captain. 

"  By  my  great  Lord  Merodach,  no !  That  is 
too  good  for  such  as  thou.  I  punish  thee  with 
worse,  —  with  life.  Begone  !  Now,  Ashpenaz, 
good  counsellor,  art  satisfied  with  my  severity  ?  " 

In  the  little  commotion  which  followed  the 
removal  of  Susa  from  the  hall,  half  the  specta- 
tors failed  to  notice  that  the  diviners  were  drawn 
into  close  rank  before  the  throne,  that  the  at- 
tention of  the  monarch  had  suddenly  concen- 
trated itself  upon  them,  and  that  the  by-play 
had  changed  in  a  moment  to  tragedy. 

"  Priests  and  soothsayers  of  Babylon,  the 
Gate  of  God  !  "  The  voice  of  Nebuchadrezzar 
went  clanging  like  bronze  through  the  audience 
court.  A  thousand  strong,  the  miserable  men 
had  crawled  to  their  feet.  Mutusa-ili,  who  had 
remained  standing  for  some  moments,  now  lost 
his  conspicuousness  among  them,  and  seemed  to 
melt  into  the  common  herd.  There  was  some- 
thing significant  and  sad  in  this ;  as  if  the 
choice  nature  given  to  the  sage  and  devotee 


126         THE  MASTER    OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

must  sink  into  the  clay  of  vulgar  aims  and 
names,  science  accept  the  fate  of  charlatanry, 
and  all  sacred  illusions  lap  the  dust  beneath  the 
feet  of  royal  mania.  Yes,  but  if  illusion,  let  it 
go !  There  was  something  inspiring  about  the 
.  scene,  after  all.  It  seemed  to  be  a  challenge  to 
divine  truth,  and  the  true  heart  sprang  to  it. 

"  Interpret  unto  me  my  dream" 

There  was  no  answer  to  this  preposterous 
command.  The  diviners  bowed  deprecatingly, 
but  no  one  returned  a  word.  Their  wits  were 
put  to  it.  Who  should  risk  the  first  attempt  to 
soothe  the  alienated  intellect  of  the  tyrant  ? 

"  Diviners  of  Babylon !  The  king  hath  no 
leisure  to  wait  your  laggard  skill.  Interpret 
unto  me  my  dream." 

This  time  a  voice  answered  firmly  enough,  — 

"  Tell  us  thy  dream,  O  Nebuchadrezzar,  that 
we  may  perchance  interpret  it  to  thee.  Any 
priest  of  us  will  do  the  possible  to  serve  the 
king.  The  impossible,  that  we  may  not  do,  for 
kings  or  gods." 

It  was  Mutusa-ili  who  spoke.  He  was  pale 
and  had  an  agitated  look,  but  it  could  not  be 
called  an  expression  of  fear. 

"  I  tell  ye  not !  "  thundered  the  monarch. 
"  Interpret  unto  me  my  dream." 

Mutusa-ili  made  a  striking  motion  with  his 
hands :  it  was  as  full  of  dignity  as  of  despon- 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         127 

dency ;  it  needed  no  words,  and  was  accompanied 
by  none.  The  king  understood  it  perfectly ;  so 
did  the  unhappy  priests  ;  they  glanced  at  each 
other  and  trembled.  Would  their  chief  make 
no  feint  even  of  performing  the  miracle  ?  For 
his  life's  sake  and  theirs,  would  he  not  pre- 
tend for  a  moment?  Would  he  substitute  in- 
conceivable self-respect  for  the  natural  effort 
to  play  with  or  delay  the  delusion  of  this  mad- 
man? 

The  priests  muttered  together  in  strange 
tongues  unknown  to  the  common  people.  A 
diviner  from  the  temple  of  Nebo  at  Borsippa, 
distinguished  for  his  skill,  gathered  his  breath, 
and  stepped  out  from  the  rank  and  file. 

"  The  son  of  Merodach  is  wiser  than  the  chil- 
dren of  men,"  he  began,  with  a  bravado  which 
easily  passed  for  assurance  ;  "  he  dreameth  as 
he  pleaseth,  and  demandeth  as  he  willeth.  Be- 
hold I,  even  I,  high  priest  of  the  temple  of  the 
Seven  Spheres  of  Heaven  and  of  Earth,  do  ven- 
ture to  interpret  the  dream  of  the  king." 

A  murmur  of  excitement  buzzed  through  the 
hall.  Mutusa-ili  did  not  raise  his  eyes  ;  they 
had  returned  to  the  claws  of  the  throne ;  he  was 
watching  the  clutched  and  tortured  Jew. 

"  The  dream  of  the  king,"  proceeded  the 
priest,  "  was  even  as  I  say.  Bel-Merodach  hath 
revealed  it  unto  me,  even  since  I  have  been  in 


1'28         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

the  royal  presence  at  this  hour.  Nebuchadrezzar 
hath  dreamed  " 

"  Well  ?  "  asked  the  king  sardonically,  for 
the  priest  halted. 

"  It  is  too  terrible  !  "  groaned  the  priest,  as  if 
seized  with  sudden  agony.  "  It  tormenteth  my 
soul.  Behold,  if  I  reveal  it,  a  panic  will  snatch 
the  people.  Revolt  will  fire  the  land.  So 
ghastly  and  so  hideous  to  the  heart  of  man  is 
the  dream  of  the  king  that  Merodach  com- 
mandeth  me,  and  I  obey.  4  Speak  it  not,'  com- 
mandeth  Bel ;  '  tell  thou  not  the  direful  thing 
in  the  presence  of  the  king's  people  '  "  — 

"  Thou  art  skillful,"  interrupted  the  king 
grimly.  "  Thy  head  will  be  a  fair  price  for  so 
shrewd  a  venture." 

"  Nay,  does  my  lord  the  king  command  me  to 
disobey  the  divine  voice,  even  the  will  of  his 
father  Merodach  ?  " 

This  was  regarded  by  most  of  the  spectators 
as  a  poser  on  the  part  of  the  priest  from  Bor- 
sippa.  The  people  were  on  the  whole  surprised, 
when  the  king  reiterated,  — 

"  Soothsayers  of  Babylon  !  Interpret  unto 
Nebuchadrezzar  his  dream." 

"  I  obey,"  faltered  a  magician  known  as  the 
famous  astrologer  of  the  cupola  of  the  temple 
of  Zarpanit.  "  I  can  interpret  the  king's  dream. 
Behold,  my  lord,  thou  hast  dreamed  " 


THE  MASTER    OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         129* 

"  Ye-es  ?  "  drawled  Amytis  pleasantly.  The 
queen  was  becoming  ennuyee  with  these  priests, 
"  It  sounds  easy.  Pray  proceed,  sir  priest. 
Hurry  a  little,  to  please  a  queen." 

"  That  is  precisely  why  I  hesitate,"  answered 
the  priest  promptly.  He  blushed  and  stam- 
mered ;  he  wore  an  air  of  superior  delicacy. 
"  Alas,"  he  said,  "  it  is  even  true.  The  dream 
and  the  interpretation  thereof  are  no  matter  for 
the  ear  of  the  queen.  Nay,  they  are  not  sub- 
jects for  the  hearing  of  ladies;  and  the  audi- 
ence hall  aboundeth  with  ladies.  I  pray  thee, 
my  lord,  have  me  excused  from  such  an  immod- 
esty." 

A  slight  laugh  rippled  through  the  hall  at 
this  piece  of  bravado ;  which,  considering  the 
state  of  morals  and  manners  in  Babylonia,  was 
ingenious,  to  say  the  least  of  it.  But  Amytis 
frowned. 

"  Nay,  then,  my  lord,"  she  pouted,  "  if  thou 
dreamest  such  things  as  may  not  be  told  thy 
queen,  for  my  part  I  would  that  the  king  kept 
his  dreams  to  himself  and  made  them  not  pub- 
lic. I  am  indebted  to  the  priest  from  the  temple 
of  Zarpanit,  and  I  particularly  request  thy  favor 
in  consideration  of  his  delicacy." 

But  the  king  was  now  so  thoroughly  angry 
that  the  queen's  jest  hit  the  wrong  nerve.  In 
terrible  tones,  he  reiterated  his  demand :  — 


130          THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

"Tell  me  my  dream,  and  interpret  it  unto 
me,  or  ye  die  for  it.  Yea,  even  to  the  number 
of  a  thousand  shall  ye  die." 

Silence  replied  to  this  threat.  Nebuchadrez- 
zar leaned  forward  in  his  seat.  Its  arm  was 
carved  at  the  edge  in  the  form  of  a  sacred  goose. 
The  king's  fingers  closed  over  the  ivory  head 
and  bill.  The  delicate  handiwork  could  not 
stand  the  brutal  strain.  It  snapped  and  broke. 
In  ungovernable  fury,  the  king  tore  off  the  arm 
and  hurled  the  missile  at  the  last  speaker.  It 
smote  the  unhappy  priest  straight  on  the  temple, 
and  he  fell ;  and  even  where  he  fell,  his  false 
brains  rushed  forth,  and  there  he  died.  This 
episode  recalled  the  king  to  himself,  but  did  not 
tend  to  soothe  the  anxiety  of  his  subjects. 

"  And  thou,  Mutusa-ili,  master  of  my  youth, 
diviner  of  my  manhood,  and  sage  in  whom  I 
trusted,  are  the  gods  at  the  hunt  ?  Are  they 
asleep?"  The  king  turned  upon  the  old  man 
with  impetuous  ferocity,  tinged  with  a  love  and 
respect  which  he  could  not  shake  off,  even  in  so 
mad  a  moment. 

Mutusa-ili  made  no  answer,  but  the  tremu- 
lous motion  of  his  robe  revealed  the  convulsive 
agitation  of  his  hands.  After  a  pause,  the  king's 
voice  raised  itself  sarcastically :  — 

"  Awake  thy  words,  old  man.  Recall  thy  wan- 
dering powers,  or,  by  this  dream,  thou  too  liest 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         131 

like  yonder  corpse."  He  pointed  at  the  body, 
which  two  slaves  were  bearing  from  the  hall. 

At  the  king's  last  words  a  terrible  shriek  tore 
the  air.  It  seemed  to  proceed  from  the  winged 
bull  that  guarded  the  entrance  to  the  judgment 
hall.  The  sound  fluttered  wildly  for  a  moment, 
and  died  away  wailing. 

"An  omen !  "  cried  the  priests.  Even  the 
king  seemed  shaken  by  the  weird  and  human 
cry.  The  bearded  mouth  of  the  majestic  bull 
might  have  been  thought  to  wear  a  sarcastic  ex- 
pression, but  remained  shut  as  tight  as  ever.  At 
the  cry,  Mutusa-ili  changed  color,  and,  gathering 
his  strength  to  his  bosom,  spoke  to  the  monarch 
in  severe  tones  :  — 

"  O  king,  live  forever!  Be  it  known  unto 
thee,  by  the  tongue  of  a  prophet  of  the  gods, 
that  there  is  not  a  man  upon  the  earth  that  can 
show  the  king's  matter.  Therefore,  O  king,  tell 
thy  servants  the  dream,  and  I  will  show  thee  the 
interpretation." 

"  The  thing  is  gone  from  me,"  said  the  king 
confusedly.  "  Even  if  I  would,  am  I  a  magi- 
cian, such  as  thou  pretendest  to  be  ?  Can  I  tell 
thee  what  is  not  ?  Tell  me  the  dream,  I  say,  — 
the  dream  !  " 

"  But,  O  king,  deign  to  remember.  Hath 
great  Sargon  recorded  the  like  ?  Hath  Sippara 
or  Cutha,  yea,  or  Babylon,  books  that  have 


132         THE  MASTER   OF    THE   MAGICIANS. 

sealed  upon  the  imperishable  clay  a  like  require- 
ment ?  What  king,  since  when  Xisuthrus  built 
the  bituminous  ark,  hath  demanded  such  a  rare 
thing  of  any  enchanter  or  Chaldean?  I  tell 
thee,  mighty  king,  that  there  is  none  other  that 
can  show  it  before  the  king  except  the  gods, 
whose  dwelling  is  not  with  flesh." 

The  old  man's  voice  rang  loud.  These  brave 
words  comforted  the  magicians  with  a  short- 
lived hope. 

"  Thou  liest,"  said  the  king,  scowling.  "  Ye 
have  all  prepared  lying  and  corrupt  words  to 
gain  a  space  of  time.  My  will  changeth  not. 
Ye  have  failed,  and  ye  die.  Thus  do  I  purge 
the  land  of  rot.  Here,  bring  me  my  tablet. 
Write  the  decree.  My  judgment  seal  hath 
struck  the  soft  clay  even  as  I  shall  strike  the 
heads  from  off  this  tribe  of  cursed  impostors. 
Yea,  I  say  it,  even  I  in  my  glory,  ye  shall  be 
cut  to  pieces  ;  ye  shall  be  fed  to  lions,  to  vul- 
tures, and  to  crocodiles  ;  and  your  houses  shall  be 
made  a  dunghill.  Go,  Allit.  Lead  them  forth. 
Pierce  their  tongues.  Blind  them  with  spears. 
Let  not  the  sun  set  upon  a  quiver  of  their  car- 
casses, or  thou  too  losest  thy  perfumed  head. 
Go,  I  say.  By  Merodach  my  father,  that 
which  I  have  sworn,  that  will  I  perform." 

Before  the  king  ceased  speaking,  that  wail- 
ing cry,  which  had  seemed  to  proceed  from 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         133 

the  human-headed  bull,  was  repeated  with  such 
piercing  insistence  that  every  man  looked  at  his 
neighbor,  and  even  in  the  suffocating  heat  of 
the  vast  crowd  grew  cold  to  the  heart  with 
superstitious  fear.  From  behind  the  paws  of 
the  stone  monster  a  veiled  figure  shot ;  seemed 
to  try  to  rise,  as  if  it  would  fly  above  the  heads 
of  the  people  ;  and  then  fluttered  down  like  a 
wounded  or  a  netted  bird.  Men  and  women 
made  way  for  the  apparition ;  it  bounded  be- 
tween them  in  lithe  leaps,  and,  before  a  hand 
was  raised  to  stay  it,  sank  at  the  feet  of  the 
king.  The  veil  fell  in  her  flight,  and  the  child- 
like face  of  Lalitha  lifted  itself  like  an  exqui- 
site, obeisant  carving  to  the  throne. 

44  Why,  king,  good  king,  dear  king,  you  have 
made  a  mistake.  You  would  not  kill  my  father? 
You  could  not  kill  my  father?"  The  girl's 
sweet  voice,  thrilling  with  unconsciousness  of 
herself,  uttered  these  naive  words  in  a  tone  that 
could  be  heard  to  the  ends  of  the  hall.  "  He  is 
a  good  man,"  pleaded  Lalitha.  "  Everybody 
knows  that  we  live  alone  together,  with  one  slave 
woman  yonder,  who  brought  me  hither.  Groat 
king!  You  have  everything,  —  a  queen,  and 
all  the  people.  I  am  a  poor  girl.  I  have  no- 
body but  my  father.  I  have  heard  him  say  you 
are  a  good,  wise  king.  You  will  not  kill  him,  — 
you  will  not  kill  my  father!  " 


134         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  Ah,  there,"  said  Lalitha,  suddenly  dropping 
her  voice,  "  there  is  the  queen.  I  see  her  now. 
I  was  behind  the  stone  god.  The  queen  will 
save  my  father.  She  will  beg  the  king  for  a 
poor  girl  .  .  .  and  an  old  man  .  .  .  my  father's 
life,  queen  !  His  life,  king !  His  old  life  .  .  . 
his  precious,  oh,  his  precious  life  !  " 

"  But  I  have  set  my  seal,"  protested  the 
king  ;  he  was  evidently  much  moved.  He  mut- 
tered to  himself,  "  Beautiful !  beautiful !  "  A 
relenting  of  the  muscles  softened  all  the  lines  of 
his  dark  face.  Mutusa-ili  held  his  breath.  La- 
litha had  the  wit  not  to  add  a  word  to  her  spon- 
taneous plea.  She  drew  closer  to  the  throne, 
crawling  upon  her  knees,  and  bent  her  head  to 
the  footstool  of  Nebuchadrezzar ;  her  lovely  lips 
pressed  his  sandal. 

Then  Amytis,  who  had  preserved  an  ominous 
silence,  opened  her  petulant  mouth  and  spoke 
distinctly :  — 

"  I  know  the  girl.  She  is  a  low  creature. 
She  should  not  touch  thee,  Nebuchadrezzar. 
Spurn  her  from  thee." 

The  king  drew  a  sharp  breath,  pressed  his 
hand  to  his  forehead  perplexedly,  and  made  a 
motion  of  dismissal  to  Lalitha. 

"  If  I  had  not  set  my  seal  in  the  clay  "  —  he 
began,  with  what  seemed  to  be  genuine  softness 
and  sadness.  "But  the  judgment  seal  hath 


THE   MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         135 

stamped  the  condemnation  in  the  legal  clay. 
By  the  honor  of  the  throne  of  Babylon,  Mu- 
tusa-ili  dieth.  Trouble  me  not.  Yex  me  no 
more !  "  cried  the  king  wildly.  "  I  am  a-wea- 
ried  of  the  matter.  Take  the  girl  away  !  " 

In  the  confusion  which  followed  this  scene, 
only  two  persons  in  the  hall  noticed  the  captain 
of  the  guards.  At  the  sight  of  Lalitha,  Allit's 
face  had  become  suffused,  and  as  dark  as  his 
helmet.  He  motioned  to  an  officer  to  take  his 
place,  and  with  bowed  head  rushed  from  the 
court.  Two  women  observed  his  appearance 
and  departure.  They  were  Amytis  the  queen, 
who  frowned,  and  Ina,  the  daughter  of  Egibi, 
who  blushed.  Lalitha  neither  frowned  nor 
blushed.  Lalitha  did  not  think  about  Allit. 
She  knelt,  a  prostrate,  piteous  figure,  at  the  feet 
of  the  king,  her  being  poured  out  in  entreaty, 
as  wine  pours  from  a  silver  shell.  Father  love 
is  older  than  lover's  love ;  and  in  emergencies  it 
measures  deeper. 


•  CHAPTER  XL 

MUTUSA-ILI  felt  that  his  humiliation  was 
complete.  Must  a  girl  plead  for  his  life  ?  That 
it  was  his  own  girl  did  not  seem  to  help  the 
matter.  The  meanest  slave  was  less  pitiable 
than  he.  In  a  prominent  place  sat  Egibi,  his 
brother,  the  treasurer  of  the  king.  It  could  not 
be  said  that  there  was  no  affection  in  Egibi's 
face  ;  but  like  most  influential  sympathy,  it  was 
more  ornamental  than  useful.  Mutusa-ili  turned 
towards  Allit  for  support,  for  his  limbs  trembled 
beneath  him  ;  but  the  captain  had  gone.  At 
this  moment  was  he  preparing  the  death-war- 
rant? It  would  have  been  something  to  the  old 
teacher  if  he  could  have  even  seen  the  boy  Susa. 
The  circle  of  dependent  priests  about  the  dis- 
graced sage  had  widened,  and  he  stood  severely 
apart  and  miserably  alone.  Death  seemed  less 
hard  than  this  bitter  moment,  this  huge  and 
only  failure  of  his  life. 

While  Lalitha  clasped  the  king's  feet,  Mu- 
tusa-ili would  have  prayed,  if  he  had  thought  of 
any  gods  in  whom  he  felt  any  particular  confi- 
dence. He  knew  too  well  that  her  naive  inter- 


THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         187 

cession  was  his  last  hope.  When  that  failed  his 
heart  died  within  him. 

But  the  queen's  words  stung  the  old  man's 
disabled  pride.  It  was  the  chief  of  the  royal 
astrologers  who  raised  his  head  from  beneath 
that  blow.  When  the  decree  of  death  had  gone 
forth,  Mutusa-ili,  with  a  commanding  gesture, 
approached  the  throne".  He  spoke  with  passion- 
ate but  dignified  emphasis :  — 

"  Behold,  I  declare  it  unto  gods  and  men,  my 
daughter,  this  maiden,  is  as  white  as  the  wings 
of  the  morning.  Let  God  deal  with  her  accuser. 
She  needeth  a  greater  Judge  than  I.  And  thou, 
O  king,  hear  me,  thy  master.  The  stars  decree 
that  neither  I  nor  these  die  by  thy  impious  hand. 
Before  thou  wast  born,  or  Babylon  was  built, 
the  gods  were."  The  old  man  raised  himself  to 
a  majestic  height,  and  stretched  out  both  hands  ; 
his  long  fingers  beckoned  the  soothsayers  to 
approach. 

"  Nebuchadrezzar,  king  of  Bab}don  !  I  swear 
it  by  the  seven  planets,  yea,  by  the  hidden 
word  of  II,  I  swear  that  thou  diest,  and  thy 
kingdom  become  a  piecemeal  to  many  nations, 
if  thou  takest  these  anointed  lives.  Nay,  hear 
me,  son  of  Merodach,  nor  vex  thyself  at  my 
inspired  speech.  Behold  and  see !  Here  we 
stand.  I  draw  about  this  people  the  mystic 
circle  of  the  skies.  Fall  back,  ye  slaves  and 


138          THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

soldiers.  Step  but  a  sandal  within  this  awful 
ring,  and  Eaman  blasts  ye  in  his  wrath.  Back, 
I  say !  or  I  hurl  the  curse  of  Anu,  II,  and  Hea 
at  ye,  and  your  first-born  die  !  " 

Now,  Mutusa-ili  was  consciously  perpetrating 
the  last  fraud  of  his  life  ;  it  was  for  life's  sake, 
and  we  may  forgive  him.  He  had  small  faith 
in  his  own  incantation ;  but  the  people  had,  — 
that  was  the  main  thing.  In  vain  the  king- 
commanded  and  threatened.  Not  a  soldier 
would  cross  the  magic  line  to  arrest  the  diviner. 
Not  a  slave  dared  touch  the  hem  of  his  garment. 
The  priests  fell  on  their  faces  before  it.  The 
spectators  trembled  with  excitement.  Only  La- 
litha  turned  toward  him.  The  young  girl,  veil- 
ing herself,  crept  upon  her  knees  from  the  feet 
of  the  throne  toward  the  feet  of  her  old  father  ; 
but  when  she  reached  the  sacred  circle,  she  too 
paused  thereat,  and  humbly,  dutifully,  beauti- 
fully, bowing  her  head,  she  kissed  the  invisible 
barrier,  and  passed  it  not. 

This  exquisite  exhibition  of  trust  in  Mutusa- 
ili's  sacred  art  created  a  momentary  sensation, 
of  which  the  soothsayer  was  not  slow  to  take  ad- 
vantage. 

We  said  that  Mutusa-ili  perpetrated  the  last 
fraud  of  his  life.  To  do  him  justice,  this  scene 
was  not  entirely  fraudulent.  The  wisdom  of 
the  East  is  a  mystical  wisdom,  and  Mutusa-ili 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         139 

had  been  trained  not  only  in  it,  but  by  it.  He 
could  look  back  upon  a  novitiate  of  seven,  yea, 
of  fourteen  years,  in  the  most  ancient,  most 
powerful,  and,  so  far  as  is  yet  revealed,  the  most 
honest  brotherhood  of  seers  known  to  the  Orient. 
What  he  had  seen,  many  a  king  would  have 
given  a  conquered  nation  to  witness.  What  he 
had  performed,  many  a  sage  would  have  given 
his  life  to  imitate.  But  these  choice  experiences 
were  a  law  unto  themselves.  Their  own  mas- 
ters might  be  entirely  unable  to  control  the 
force  which  they  had  evoked.  Marvels  which 
the  diviner  had  wooed  by  fastings  and  scourges, 
and  blood  and  tears  and  vigils,  and  sought  for 
years  and  in  vain,  might  flash  upon  him  at  the 
turn  of  a  moment,  blinding  him  with  light  and 
with  glory.  No  one  knew  better  than  the  sage 
of  Babylon  the  caprice  of  mystery.  Yet  no 
one  was  as  much  moved  as  he,  when  the  major- 
domo  of  the  court,  Ashpenaz,  with  haughty 
mien  and  defiant  bearing,  strode  forward  to  re- 
trieve his  awkwardness  before  the  royal  pair. 
Thus,  with  a  bravado  of  obedience  to  the  king's 
command,  he  boldly  pushed  the  frightened  sol- 
diers aside,  and  stepped  to  the  magic  line.  Mu- 
tusa-ili  stood  towering.  His  gaunt  eyes  burned ; 
they  seemed  to  see  nothing  newer  than  the  art 
and  wisdom  of  ten  thousand  years.  He  muttered 
strange  words  in  an  untranslatable  tongue.  He 


140         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

made  with  his  long  hands  curious  motions,  un- 
familiar to  the  popular  necromancy  and  to  the 
common  practice  of  his  art.  Ashpenaz  paused, 
wavered ;  he  put  his  hand  to  his  heart ;  one 
foot  crossed  the  imaginary  line ;  he  gave  a  ter- 
rible cry,  and  fell,  face  down.  The  soldiers  raised 
him  fearfully.  He  was  livid  and  senseless. 

Mutusa-ili  paid  no  attention  to  this  incident. 
He  regarded  the  king  solemnly. 

"  Thou  art  the  greatest  of  the  magicians,"  said 
Nebuchadrezzar  uneasily,  "  but  canst  thou  in- 
terpret to  me  my  dream  ?  " 

Alas  for  Mutusa-ili!  He  made  a  pleading, 
upward  motion  of  the  hands  towards  Nebu- 
chadrezzar, but  retained  a  piteous  silence.  The 
king  leaned  back  on  his  ivory  throne,  and 
laughed. 

"  Balatsu-usur !  Oh,  Balatsu-usur  !  Art  thou 
here  ?  " 

Susa  stood  panting  before  a  wooden  door  set 
in  from  the  thick  wall,  and  hidden  in  a  dark  and 
narrow  corridor  of  the  state  apartments  adjoin- 
ing the  university  of  Bel,  and  set  apart  for  dis- 
tinguished students.  The  lad  threw  his  whole 
weight  upon  the  panels  to  force  the  barrier  open. 
But  he  could  not ;  the  wooden  peg  which  held 
the  door  was  placed  in  sure  position. 

"  Balatsu-usur,  noble  Jew,  it  is  I,  the  brother 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.    141 

of  Allit.  He  sendeth  me  in  mortal  haste.  An- 
swer, quick,  in  the  name  of  thine  own  God  ! " 

At  the  last  invocation  the  peg  was  drawn,  and 
the  door  swung  back  upon  its  bronze  sockets. 
Susa  drew  back  with  awe.  A  figure,  whose  face 
was  of  the  whiteness  of  an  oleander,  stood  before 
him.  Daniel's  robe  was  refulgent ;  it  harmo- 
nized with  the  tints  of  his  countenance.  It  was 
as  though  the  full  moon  had  bathed  him  with  a 
sheen  which,  like  glaze  on  brick,  refused  to  fade 
away.  There  was  a  tradition  handed  down  from 
father  to  son,  among  the  priestly  class  of  Aaron, 
that  Moses  once,  on  the  mountain  of  Sinai, 
caught  the  radiance  of  the  one  God,  and  that  it 
abode  for  many  days  upon  his  countenance,  to 
the  destruction  of  those  who  dared  to  lift  his 
veil  and  look.  Daniel  at  this  moment  had  such 
an  appearance.  Susa  felt  himself  seized  by  a 
holy  fear. 

"  At  last  thou  hast  come,"  said  the  Jew  gently. 
"Hath  Mutusa-ili  shown  the  king  his  dream?" 
Daniel  still  stood  in  the  narrow  doorway,  but 
Susa,  he  knew  not  why,  continued  to  kneel  out- 
side. 

"  Quickly !  quickly !  "  entreated  the  lad. 
"  My  lord,  prince  of  Israel,  stay  not  to  question 
me,  but  fly  to  the  judgment  hall.  My  brother 
Allit,  the  captain,  goeth  out  of  his  wits  for 
grief.  He  bade  me  bring  thee  faster  than  the 


142         THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

raven  flieth,  —  for  life's  sake,  he  said,  and  for 
Lalitha's." 

In  liis  excitement,  the  boy  leaned  forward  to 
pluck  Daniel's  robe  that  he  might  hasten  him, 
but  the  seer  drew  it  back  with  a  strange  reluc- 
tance. 

"  Nay,  touch  me  not,"  he  said  solemnly,  "  lest 
the  vision  of  the  night  go  from  me.  Let  me 
forth.  Follow  thou  me." 

"  If  a  girl  can  kiss  the  incantation,  I  should 
fancy  a  soldier  might  cross  it,"  observed  Amytis 
scornfully.  The  challenge  of  a  handsome  woman 
always  piques  men,  and  dares  them  on  in  their 
own  despite ;  and  the  queen,  though  none  too 
much  respected,  was  comely  of  countenance,  and 
admired  in  Babylon.  A  guardsman  responded 
impulsively  to  her  taunt ;  and  after  a  moment's 
hesitation,  two  or  three  others  followed  him.  At 
the  magic  line  they  paused.  Instinctive  rever- 
ence, if  not  a  genuine  dread,  withheld  them 
a  little.  Lalitha's  kneeling  figure  seemed  to 
waver  before  their  eyes  like  white  fire  offered  to 
a  goddess.  She  did  not  raise  her  head.  She 
seemed  as  unconscious  of  their  proximity  as  a 
spirit.  Her  lips  touched  the  sacred  circle ;  they 
moved  in  gentle  prayer. 

Mutusa-ili  stood  motionless  in  the  centre  of 
the  circle.  He  had  a  majestic  air.  Something 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         143 

of  scorn  was  in  it.  The  terror  of  the  people  was 
his  respite,  if  not  his  reprieve.  He  looked  across 
the  sweet  protection  of  Lalitha ;  he  could  not 
trust  himself  to  touch  her,  even  to  glance  at  her. 
He  eyed  the  soldiers  imperiously.  Thus  they 
stood,  —  superstition,  womanhood,  and  force  im- 
pressively arrayed  against  each  other. 

"  Arrest  the  priest !  "  cried  the  king.  "  Arrest 
the  soothsayer,  or,  by  my  own  hand,  your  lives 
shall  answer  for  it,  and  ye  go  forth  like  the 
corpse  of  him  ye  did  behold !  " 

"  Stay  thy  judgment,  king  of  Babylonia !  " 
The  well-known  voice  of  the  king's  captain  rang 
manfully  through  the  hall ;  his  guardsmen  rec- 
ognized their  superior  officer,  and,  with  military 
precision,  turned  about  face  and  saluted  him. 

"  Behold,  I  have  found  a  man,"  cried  Allit, 
"  I  have  found  a  man  of  the  children  of  the  cap- 
tivity of  Judah,  who  will  make  known  unto  the 
king  the  interpretation  of  his  dream."  .  .  . 

Daniel  stood  before  the  king  and  before  the 
soothsayers.  The  young  Jew  shone  like  a  god. 
A  splendor  clothed  him  as  if  it  fell  through  a 
sun-shot  cloud.  Many  spectators  hid  their  faces. 
But  Mutusa-ili  regarded  him  steadfastly.  The 
soothsayer  said  to  himself,  — 

"  This  is  the  radiance  of  a  pure  heart  and  of 
an  honest  life." 


144    THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

Lalitha  still  knelt  at  the  margin  of  the  en- 
chanted line,  devoutly  and  devotedly.  The  first 
thing  which  the  prince  of  Israel  did  was  to  lift 
the  maiden  to  her  feet ;  this  he  did  with  great 
gentleness  and  reverence.  Kisrinni  came  for- 
ward from  the  crowd,  and  seemed  to  envelop 
the  poor  girl  and  to  mother  her  out  of  sight. 
The  next  act  of  Daniel's  was  simple  enough  and 
tremendous  enough.  He  crossed  the  circle  of 
the  incantation.  He  crossed  it  firmly  and 
quietly,  making  no  fuss  about  it  in  any  way,  and, 
respectfully  moving  Mutusa-ili  to  one  side,  took 
his  place  before  the  throne. 

Cries  from  the  priests,  shouts  from  the  crowd, 
protests  from  the  soldiers,  jangled  through  the 
air ;  but  they  sounded  like  the  jeers  of  jackdaws 
at  a  sacred  bell.  Nothing  happened,  absolutely 
nothing.  The  Jew  neither  dropped  dead,  nor 
withered  to  a  monkey,  nor  fell  palsied,  for  his 
blasphemy.  At  the  very  moment  when  the 
young  devotee  saved  the  aged  soothsayer,  he 
ruined  him.  Mutusa-ili  gave  his  reputation,  his 
system,  his  faith  in  an  art,  his  faith  in  himself, 
and  the  faith  of  a  nation  in  him,  for  his  aged 
life. 

So  Balatsu-usur  told  the  king  his  dream.  It 
is  on  record  in  an  older  Book  than  this  that  the 
young  man  did  this  deed ;  and  the  dream  and 
the  interpretation  thereof  will  be  found  therein. 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  .MAGICIANS.         145 

minutely  related.  It  was,  on  the  whole,  rather 
a  dull  dream,  like  other  dreams,  of  no  particu- 
lar interest  except  to  the  dreamer. 

But  wild  rumors  of  the  case  had  gone  afloat. 
The  audience  in  the  judgment  hall  had  grown 
to  crushing  proportions.  Many  fell,  and  were 
trampled  on  in  their  efforts  to  hear  or  to  see. 
The  crowd  was  so  great  that  much  which  was 
said  by  the  Jew  was  of  necessity  lost  to  the  mass. 

But  when  the  young  man  had  reported  to  the 
king  the  details  of  the  dream  —  which  was  a 
much-mixed  matter,  worthy  of  the  fantasy  of  a 
gifted  maniac,  —  he  raised  his  voice,  and  spoke 
loudly  before  the  king  and  all  the  people  ;  and 
what  he  said  was  remembered  in  Babylon  for 
many  a  year. 

"  Have  I,  Nebuchadrezzar,  told  unto  thee  thy 
dream?" 

And  the  king  made  answer  gently  : 

"Thou  tellest  me  the  dream." 

"  Thou  didst  behold  this  great  Image.  Gold 
was  its  head.  Brass  was  its  belly.  Iron  were 
its  feet  ;  but  clay  was  in  them.  And  behold,  a 
stone,  carved  without  hands,  did  smite  the  Im- 
age, and  it  fell.  Tell  I  thee  thy  dream  ?  " 

And  the  king  repeated  humbly  : 

"  Thou  hast  told  me  my  dream." 

Then  the  young  man  answered  solemnly,  but 
his  mien  was  modest,  and  in  his  eye  could  be 


146    THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

seen  no  more  human  fear  than  in  that  of  an 
eagle  in  mid-heaven  : — 

"  Thou,  O  king,  art  king  of  kings,  unto  whom 
the  God  of  Heaven  hath  given  the  kingdom,  the 
power,  the  strength,  and  the  glory  .  .  .  and 
after  thee  shall  arise  another  kingdom  .  .  .  and 
another  .  .  .  and  a  fourth  .  .  .  but  the  God  of 
Heaven  shall  set  up  a  kingdom  which  shall 
never  be  destroyed  ;  but  it  shall  break  to  pieces 
all  these  kingdoms,  and  it  shall  stand  for- 
ever." .  .  . 

It  would  have  taken  but  the  turn  of  a  whim, 
when  Balatsu-usur  had  said  these  words,  to  have 
torn  him  in  pieces.  Half  a  thousand  soothsay- 
ers could  have  done  it,  though  they  took  their 
lives  from  his  white  hand.  Amytis  would  have 
done  it ;  but  she  admired  him  too  much.  The 
king  might  have  done  it ;  but  the  king  —  where 
was  the  king  ? 

Prostrate  upon  his  royal  face,  prostrate  be- 
fore the  court,  the  queen,  the  people  —  down 
like  a  pleading  conscience  or  a  suppliant  faith, 
Nebuchadrezzar  the  Great  lay  in  the  dust  before 
his  captive  Jew,  and  worshiped  him  right  roy- 
ally. 

"  Thou  art  the  Master  of  the  Magicians  !  ?' 
said  the  king.  "  For  .  thou  commandest  the 
power  of  thy  God,  and  thou  controllest  the  spirit 
of  man." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

BEFORE  nightfall,  Babylon  was  astir  with  the 
facts  and  the  rumors  of  the  day's  event.  The 
captive  Jew  had  become  the  hero  of  royal  whim 
and  of  popular  excitement.  Plain  moral  purity 
and  religious  fervor  had  done  for  the  young  man 
what  a  lifetime  of  political  scheming  had  failed 
to  do  for  many  a  gray-headed,  disappointed  ad- 
venturer ;  then,  as  in  all  ages,  intrigue  regarded 
the  success  of  sincerity  with  astonishment.  On 
the  whole,  simple  surprise  overcame  jealousy  in 
the  court.  The  deed  was  so  confusing,  it  was 
so  confounding,  that  it  caused  more  intellectual 
embarrassment  than  ill-feeling.  The  Babylo- 
nians discussed  it  with  hot  attention,  but  for  the 
most  part  genially  enough.  The  truth  was,  it 
was  hard  not  to  like  this  extraordinary  Jew. 
Something  about  him  compelled  the  kinder  feel- 
ings. The  boisterous  nature  of  that  rude  time 
did  not  know  what  to  make  of  him.  His  mo- 
tives were  as  inconceivable  to  them  as  the  astron- 
omy of  twenty  centuries  to  come.  They  dis- 
cussed him  as  they  would  a  discovery  in  science. 

Daniel  had  hastened  from  the  judgment  hall 


148         THE   MASTER   OF    THE   MAGICIANS. 

as  soon  and  as  fast  as  he  was  permitted.  To 
the  king's  excessive  adulations  he  had  replied 
with  much  emotion  :  — 

"  Rise,  Nebuchadrezzar.  Worship  me  not,  for 
I  am  but  a  man,  and  the  servant  of  the  Most 
High  God.  Worship  Him  who  did  reveal  the 
matter  unto  me  in  the  night-watches,  and  whose 
will  alone  I  do.  Behold,  there  is  one  God,  and 
He  is  holy.  Jehovah  is  his  name.  Worship 
thou  Him" 

"  If  thou  art  his  representative,"  said  Nebu- 
chadrezzar, "  verily  I  will  consider  the  matter  ; 
for  he  appeareth  to  me  to  be  an  intelligent  god, 
quite  worthy  of  some  attention." 

Now,  as  Nebuchadrezzar  was  known  to  be 
pretty  constant  to  one  or  two  pet  deities  of  the 
highest  order,  but  was  also  agile  in  carrying  on 
what  might  be  called  a  kind  of  celestial  flirta- 
tion with  many  minor  gods,  Daniel  was  not  as 
much  impressed  with  his  proselyte  as  he  might 
have  been. 

"  Explain  thou  to  him,"  said  the  king  conde- 
scendingly, "  that  he  may  command  the  services 
of  Nebuchadrezzar  the  Great,  son  of  Bel-Mero- 
dach.  It  will  probably  be  of  some  value  to  him 
to  know  the  fact." 

Half  sick  at  heart  in  the  very  hour  of  his  tri- 
umph, the  Jew  remained  silent  before  the  idol- 
ater, and  glided  from  the  court,  that  he  might 
calm  his  soul  in  solitude. 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         149 

"  He  goeth  to  pray,"  said  the  priest  from 
Borsippa.  "Jehovah  keepeth  him  at  it  pretty 
constantly.  He  must  be  an  exacting  god." 

But  Amytis  the  queen  watched  the  young 
man  narrowly.  She  said  to  Mariamnu,  — 

"  A  very  handsome  fellow !  " 

Amytis  was  lightly  attracted  by  success.  She 
easily  idealized  prominent  people.  She  leaned 
toward  the  king,  and  chatted  about  the  favorite 
of  the  hour  with  unprecedented  interest.  It  did 
not  detract  from  her  animation  that  Allit  could 
observe  this,  if  he  would  take  the  trouble. 

Daniel  was  in  his  plain  little  room  in  the 
outer  apartments  of  the  university,  at  the  hour 
of  sunset :  he  stood,  according  to  the  custom  of 
the  captive  people,  with  his  face  toward  the 
west ;  his  hands  were  outstretched  for  the  even- 
ing prayer  ;  his  countenance  was  lifted  away 
from  the  world  of  men  and  the  affairs  thereof. 
The  captain  of  the  guards,  who  had  sought  him 
upon  an  official  errand,  paused  with  a  light  foot 
and  bowed  head.  Daniel  remained  at  prayer 
for  some  time.  Allit  did  not  like  to  interrupt 
him.  He  could  not  understand  this  perplexing 
captive.  The  man  of  pleasure  was  thoroughly 
puzzled  by  the  ascetic. 

"  No  wine,"  thought  Allit,  "  no  banquets,  no 
battles,  no  women.  Not  a  woman !  Not  even 


150    THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

a  slave !  And,  verily,  I  believe  he  is  younger 
than  I." 

When  Daniel  came  to  the  end  of  his  prayer, 
he  did  not  seem  surprised  to  see  the  captain ; 
Daniel,  it  was  said,  was  seldom  surprised.  He 
gave  Allit  an  extraordinarily  beautiful  smile,  — 
warm,  human,  manly,  tender ;  it  made  words 
of  welcome  unnecessary.  But  Allit  was  used  to 
talking ;  and,  as  quickly  as  possible,  he  made 
known  to  Balatsu-usur  the  startling  announce- 
ment that  the  interpreter  of  the  king's  dream 
had  been  appointed  governor  of  the  province 
of  Babylonia,  and  was  expected  henceforth  to 
make  his  home  at  the  court  and  near  the  person 
of  the  king. 

Daniel  received  his  incredible  appointment 
with  composure. 

"  A  thousand  pardoned  men  will  see  to-mor- 
row's sun,"  said  the  Jew  joyously ;  "  and  the 
maiden  abideth  with  her  father  in  her  own 
place." 

And  so  it  was  that  Daniel,  the  courtier,  was 
commanded  by  the  king  to  attend  his  first  hunt. 
Whatever  political  upheavals  rent  the  court  or 
the  city,  whatever  the  mood  of  the  king  or  the 
season  of  the  year,  the  hunt  was  not  inter- 
rupted. Once  a  month  it  fell  due.  If  very  ex- 
citing, it  was  often  prolonged  for  several  days. 


THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS.        151 

Perhaps  the  master  of  the  chase  led  the  court 
upon  stocky  Susanian  horses,  with  arrow  and 
with  spear  aimed  against  the  wild  boar,  whose 
lair  was  along  the  banks  of  the  great  river ;  and 
the  king  was  diverted  when  his  mastiffs  had 
brought  one  of  these  tusked  brutes  to  bay ;  he 
enjoyed  piercing  it  with  a  bronze-tipped  shaft. 
Sometimes  the  leashed  Lydian  greyhounds 
coursed  the  wild  ox  or  the  shy  stag  upon  the 
plain,  and  the  stallion  of  the  desert  sprang  to 
speed  the  royal  hunter  to  the  death. 

But  Nebuchadrezzar  in  his  more  violent  moods 
was  not  satisfied  to  pursue  either  the  boar,  the 
wild  ox,  the  hyena,  or  the  bear.  There  is  no 
more  sovereign  game  than  the  lion,  or  the  lioness 
with  cub.  Even  the  striped  tiger  is  less  danger- 
ous than  the  dark-maned  lions  of  the  plain  of 
Doura.  It  was  fit  that  the  king  of  men  should 
meet  the  king  of  beasts  on  terms  of  equality. 

As  an  additional  effort  to  drive  the  cares  of 
state  from  the  mind  of  the  king,  this  hunt  was 
planned  on  the  night  of  the  full  moon.  It  was 
to  be  held  outside  the  southern  walls  of  the  city 
of  Babylon.  Here  began  the  long  extent  of  the 
plain  of  Doura.  Canals  intersected  the  land, 
and  the  fertility  of  the  soil  was  famous  in  a 
country  where  wheat  returned  to  a  sower  two 
hundred  and  often  three  hundred  fold.  Among 
mulberry  and  olive  groves,  many  a  private  man- 


152         THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

sion,  like  a  huge  white  cameo  cut  upon  a  bril- 
liant green  background,  loomed  impressively. 
Towers  of  temples  rose  from  the  low  horizon, 
and  before  an  elaborate  shrine,  set  midway  in 
the  plain,  the  shadow  of  one  of  those  numerous 
likenesses  of  himself,  which  Nebuchadrezzar 
scattered  over  the  land,  fell  pompously. 

The  quick  night  had  nearly  come.  The  cav- 
alcade of  the  hunting-party  had  ridden  far  and 
fast.  Gates  and  bridges  were  open  at  their  ap- 
proach, and  there  had  been  no  halt  until  they 
drew  breath  before  this  temple  for  refreshments. 
The  party  was  a  small  one,  but  unusual,  be- 
cause the  queen,  with  one  female  attendant  in 
her  chariot,  accompanied  the  hunt.  It  was  her 
freak,  and  the  king  denied  her  not.  Daniel 
drove  in  one  of  the  royal  chariots,  as  befitted 
the  governor  of  the  richest  province  in  the 
world.  Allit  rode  his  horse,  and  directed  the 
attendants,  mounted  and  on  foot.  By  his  side, 
a  second  horse  was  trained  to  keep  perfect  step. 
This  insured  another  mount  in  case  of  danger. 
Nebuchadrezzar  drove  in  his  two- wheeled  hunt- 
ing-chariot, behind  three  eager  Persian  horses, 
specially  reared  for  the  chase.  At  his  left,  the 
bare-headed  charioteer  held  the  round  reins. 
The  hunting- chariot,  with  the  exception  of  the 
double  quiver  attached  to  the  outside,  was  un- 
ornamented,  plain  even  to  severity ;  but  the 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         153 

equipment  of  the  horses  betrayed  care,  from 
their  banged  forelocks  and  tasseled  breastplates 
to  their  long  tails,  tied  in  the  middle  with  a  yel- 
low ribbon. 

Nergal  was  the  national  deity  of  the  chase, 
and  his  was  the  temple  before  which  they 
stopped. 

The  king  and  his  retinue  halted  at  the  outer 
gates  of  the  walled  inclosure.  A  hundred  priests 
awaited  him.  Daniel  and  Allit,  with  a  few  others, 
alighted,  while  Nebuchadrezzar  poured  a  liba- 
tion before  the  god.  Daniel  would  have  re- 
mained behind,  away  from  this  idolatrous  rite, 
but  his  rank  compelled  attendance. 

It  did  not  take  long  to  spill  the  wines,  to  in- 
spect the  entrails,  to  consume  the  sacrifice,  and 
to  set  all  the  pious  flummery  of  the  occasion  in 
action. 

The  omens  all  proved  favorable,  and  Nergal 
naturally  gave  his  sanction  and  protection  to  his 
richest  patron  and  to  the  moonlight  hunt.  That 
was  the  important  point.  The  horses  were 
exchanged.  The  party  took  their  hasty  lunch 
of  roasted  pheasants  and  rice,  of  fruits  and 
wine.  Daniel  ate  only  dried  dates  and  drank 
the  tepid  water  of  irrigation,  to  the  disgust  of 
the  rest.  The  ram's  horn  rang,  and  they  were 
away. 

The  entrance  to  the  paradise  of  the  king  lay 


154          THE  MASTER    OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

not  many  rods  from  the  temple  of  Nergal.  This 
tract  was  at  once  a  park  and  a  hunting-preserve. 
It  was  a  square  of  many  miles,  and  was  bounded 
on  its  four  sides  by  deep  and  wide  canals  that 
cut  each  other  at  the  corners,  and  thus  formed 
an  impassable  moat.  There  was  but  one  entrance 
to  these  grounds  ;  it  was  given  by  a  wide  bridge 
supported  on  inflated  skins.  On  the  side  of 
the  park  a  heavy  wooden  gate  forbade  exit. 
This  unapproachable  territory  was  a  natural 
jungle  and  an  artificial  grove.  There  were  no 
houses  in  the  inclosure ;  only  a  few  huts,  where 
the  keepers  of  the  captive  beasts  lived  and 
guarded  their  dangerous  game. 

Near  the  centre  of  the  grove  were  the  cages ; 
full  fifty  of  these  could  be  seen,  gaunt  in  the 
moonlight.  From  many  of  them,  fierce  growls 
and  the  deep,  unmistakable  cry  of  the  famished 
lions  could  be  heard. 

This  was  Daniel's  first  introduction  to  the 
king's  private  hunting-ground,  and  the  new 
favorite  asked  his  charioteer  many  questions  as 
they  drove  rapidly  towards  the  cages :  Whence 
came  the  animals?  From  across  the  desert? 
Were  not  the  most  ferocious  captured  in  the 
province?  How  long  did  it  take  to  starve  a 
lion?  How  many  keepers  a  year  perished,  on 
the  average  ?  And  how  often  a  hunter  ?  Slave  ? 
—  yes.  But  courtier  ?  Death  by  the  jaws  of  a 


THE  MASTER    OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         155 

lion,  —  how  was  it  considered,  as  death  goes  ? 
Except  for  the  horror,  was  it  more  than  another  ? 

When  the  huntsmen  reined  up  before  the 
barred  inclosures,  Nebuchadrezzar  alighted,  as 
he  was  wont,  to  inspect  the  game.  He  stepped 
from  one  cage  to  another,  and  jabbed  the  furious 
lions  with  a  spear  to  test  their  temper.  He 
uttered  low  chuckles  of  delight  when  a  fierce 
snarl  or  a  vicious  slap  of  the  paw  made  the 
strong  cage  shake. 

The  king  taunted  his  antagonists.  The  on- 
slaught, when  it  came,  was  the  more  desper- 
ate and  deadly,  for  all  animals  respond  to  a 
taunt  in  proportion  to  their  ferocity.  Not  one 
of  these  sportsmen,  who  shuddered  before  Mu- 
tusa-ili's  false  incantations,  was  afraid  to  meet 
a  famished  lion  in  single  combat.  Such  hand- 
to-paw  fights,  where  weapon  and  claw  were 
matched,  often  made  the  issue  exceedingly 
doubtful.  Nebuchadrezzar  had  dispatched  no 
less  than  nine  hundred  lions  with  his  own  hand. 
Judge  if  his  fingers  trembled  on  his  bow-string, 
when  the  hot  breath  of  the  fiercest  of  its  kind 
enveloped  him. 

By  this  time  the  hundred  beaters  had  taken 
their  positions  on  foot  along  the  edges  of  the 
jungle,  to  frighten  the  game  back  into  the  open 
clearing  when  it  came  that  way.  There  were 
three  chariots  in  all ;  these  rolled  up  under  thick 


156          THE   MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

shade  at  some  distance  from  the  cages,  but 
near  enough  to  see  the  direction  the  liberated 
lions  should  take.  The  king,  the  queen,  and 
Daniel,  with  their  respective  foot  attendants, 
formed  one  picturesque  and  eager  group.  Each 
was  armed  with  a  bow  and  two  quivers  full  of 
arrows.  At  the  left  side  of  the  hunter  hung  a 
double-edged  short  sword,  and  on  the  right  hip 
a  dagger.  Every  quiver  held  a  sharp  hatchet, 
provided  for  the  last  emergency,  and  at  the 
back  of  the  chariot  a  long  spear  rested  in  its 
socket.  This  was  to  ward  off  an  attack  from 
the  rear.  Amytis  and  Mariamnu,  her  slave, 
were  armed  like  the  rest,  but  they  did  not 
carry  the  sword.  At  their  side  a  gigantic  war- 
rior held  a  high  shield,  and  made  ready  to  pro- 
tect the  women  with  his  lance  or  his  life.  Allit 
was  everywhere,  stationing  the  men  and  giving 
loud  commands.  Amytis  watched  him  out  of 
her  almond-shaped  eyes.  The  order  of  this 
hunt  was  as  follows  :  "If  the  lion  come  thy 
way,  lift  up  thy  voice.  Yea,  lift  it  till  thou 
howlest,  that  thou  frighten  the  game  toward  the 
royal  party.  Give  the  king  the  first  attack." 

The  moon  was  full.  The  light  on  the  long 
plain  was  intense.  The  jungle  lay  in  the  dis- 
tance like  a  low  cloud.  Every  object  sharpened, 
stood  out  in  relief,  or  took  to  itself  a  shadow 
black  as  bitumen  from  Hit. 


THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         157 

"  Dost  thou  tremble,  Balatsu-usur  ?  "  Amytis 
leaned  over  and  touched  his  arm  with  the  sharp 
point  of  an  arrow.  Her  voice  tinkled  through 
the  silence  like  a  shallow  bell.  Daniel  would 
have  answered,  but  his  horses  suddenly  shivered 
under  their  rattling  harness.  The  door  of  the 
largest  cage  had  been  opened  from  above,  and 
the  captive  had  rushed  forth  to  fatal  freedom. 

In  the  first  pride  of  his  recovered  liberty,  the 
royal  beast  stood  with  mane  erect.  His  tufted 
tail  lashed  his  sides  with  dull  thuds.  Which 
way  would  he  turn  ?  The  lion  gave  a  disdainful 
look  at  the  slave  crouching  in  his  cage  built 
above  the  empty  prison.  It  too  often  happened 
that  the  unfortunate  man  whose  task  it  was  to 
free  the  lions  was  burned  next  day  in  his 
earthen  coffin,  and  sent  to  the  City  of  the  Dead. 
The  perilous  privilege  of  opening  the  cage  was 
sometimes  given  to  convicted  robbers,  as  a  chance 
to  earn  their  lives. 

This  particular  lion  seemed  a  little  puzzled  by 
his  freedom,  and  glared  about  him  hesitatingly. 
Growls  from  the  caged  beasts  greeted  him  far 
up  and  down  the  park.  He  threw  back  his  head, 
and  answered  them  by  a  roar  that  made  the 
night  start.  In  response  to  this  came  quickly 
the  best  thing  that  our  poor  race  can  offer  in  the 
shape  of  a  human  roar.  The  united  lungs  of 
the  hunting-party  raised  the  tremendous  shout 


158         THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

which  was  intended  to  provoke  the  game.  The 
lion  made  a  blind  dart  at  he  knew  not  what, 
and  espying  a  slave,  who  had  been  stationed  as 
a  decoy  beneath  a  palm-tree,  rushed  at  him. 

44  Away  !  Away !  "  cried  the  king.  His  horses, 
snorting  with  their  sense  of  danger  and  love  of 
it,  leaped  to  meet  it.  The  governor  of  Baby- 
lonia followed  fast  enough ;  the  queen  was  not 
far  behind.  The  lion  had  reached  the  palm- 
tree  ;  an  arrow  in  his  flank  caused  him  to  hesi- 
tate and  turn.  Nebuchadrezzar  thundered  down 
upon  him  in  his  three-horse  chariot.  The  ani- 
mal seemed  to  reflect.  There,  like  a  self-pos- 
sessed duelist,  he  awaited  the  shock.  At  the 
distance  of  two  hundred  feet  or  more  the  king 
sped  a  second  arrow.  It  pierced  the  brute  in 
the  shoulder.  His  nature  awoke.  With  a  roar 
made  terrible  by  pain,  he  sprang  upon  the  royal 
chariot.  Not  a  muscle  in  the  king's  body  quiv- 
ered. Even  the  charioteer  did  not  wince;  he 
trusted  the  king.  Nebuchadrezzar's  lips  tight- 
ened. His  brow  contracted.  The  look  of  con- 
scious power  which  he  wore  was  cruel.  He  was 
as  fearful  to  look  upon  as  the  animal.  Even  as 
the  lion  clutched  the  side  of  the  chariot,  it  fell 
shot  through  the  heart.  Nebuchadrezzar's  aim 
was  as  true  and  as  leisurely  as  if  he  had  been 
target-shooting  in  his  palace  yard. 

44  Truly  thou  art  king  !  "     Allit  rode  up  im- 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.    159 

petuously.  He  had  trembled  for  his  sovereign. 
The  escape  was  narrower  than  the  royal  hunter 
was  apt  to  make.  The  great  lion  with  a  muffled 
choke  rolled  back  against  the  chariot  wheel. 

"  Truly,"  said  Daniel,  "  thou  art  king  !  "  He 
had  sprung  down,  dagger  in  hand,  to  help  as 
soon  as  the  courtesy  or  necessity  of  the  chase 
permitted. 

"Of  course  he  is,"  said  Amytis  impatiently. 
"  Now  for  the  next !  I  had  n't  even  a  shot. 
Which  one  of  you  two  can  outhunt  the  king?" 
She  looked  from  the  soldier  to  the  saint.  If  Al- 
ii t  would  only  retrieve  himself  by  some  great 
deed  to-night,  in  spite  of  the  low-born  girl  she 
would  take  him  back.  The  vague  nature  of  the 
queen  dissolved  and  formed  again  like  a  cloud, 
at  every  puff  of  riotous  incident. 

But  Daniel  made  no  reply.  He  was  ponder- 
ing upon  the  king.  Was  this  the  same  man 
who  bowed  at  his  feet  but  yesterday? 

"  In  sooth,  Nergal  forge tteth  not  his  sup- 
pliants. Can  thy  god  do  more?"  The  king 
turned  lightly  towards  Daniel.  In  the  flush  of 
this  splendid  feat  of  courage,  he  estimated  him- 
self without  even  his  usual  standards.  Being 
the  favorite  lord  of  creation,  was  he  not  doubt- 
less a  favorite  of  Daniel's  god,  too  ? 

Daniel,  in  truth,  felt  some  uninspired  anxiety 
about  his  sovereign  ;  which,  being  a  devout  man, 
he  found  it  natural  to  explain  religiously. 


160          THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  May  Jehovah  guard  thee !  "  he  said  gravely, 
"  but  this  is  a  serious  pastime." 

"  Away !  Away  !  "  cried  the  king  impatiently. 
Allit's  loud  voice  rang  with  the  order  promptly. 
Amytis  followed  the  captain  and  the  governor 
with  a  wavering  look.  The  second  cage  yawned, 
and  there  bounded  forth  a  lion  captured  in  the 
Libyan  desert  for  the  king's  amusement.  He 
sniffed  the  air  as  if  the  scent  of  blood  had 
reached  his  nostrils.  He  stopped  but  a  moment 
to  reconnoitre,  and  then,  in  the  hubbub  of  shouts 
and  halloos,  started  toward  the  jungle.  Already 
the  king  was  in  hot  pursuit.  Daniel's  horses 
were  now  racing  by  the  monarch's  side.  Amytis 
caught  the  wild  spirit,  and  dashed  after  them. 
The  animal  turned  his  tawny  head  and  observed 
his  pursuers.  He  seemed  thoroughly  frightened, 
and  increased  his  pace  to  long  leaps.  Arrow 
after  arrow  overtook  the  fleeing  creature,  but  he 
only  shook  his  mane  and  leaped  the  faster.  Allit 
was  in  despair.  If  the  lion  entered  the  jungle, 
it  might  take  the  rest  of  the  night  to  find  and 
slay  him.  There  was  poor  sport  in  that.  He 
gave  order  to  the  beaters  far  ahead  to  cut  the 
lion  off,  divert  him  aside,  catch  him  on  their 
shields,  and  turn  him  back.  It  was  some  dis- 
tance to  the  thick  underbrush.  The  ground  was 
level,  the  trees  not  too  numerous,  the  sky  favora- 
ble, and  the  pace  tremendous. 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         161 

"  By  Nergal,  faster !  Let  him  escape  me 
not!"  Nebuchadrezzar  leaned  forward  and 
touched  his  horses'  flanks  impatiently. 

"By  the  prophets,  such  a  race  is  not  in 
Judah ! "  Daniel's  blood  rose  as  it  had  not 
since  he  followed  the  chase  in  his  native  land. 
He  turned  to  his  driver.  "  Am  I  the  governor 
of  this  province  of  Babylon  ?  " 

"  Yea,  my  lord,  thou  knowest  it." 

"  Then  let  not  the  king  outstrip  the  governor 
by  the  length  of  a  cubit !  " 

But  Amytis,  either  in  spirit  or  in  body,  was 
not  to  be  outdone. 

"  Shall  he  who  was  yesterday  a  slave  outride 
a  queen  ?  Let  the  prince  of  Judah  lead  by  the 
breadth  of  a  hand,  and  thou  diest,  charioteer  of 
Amytis ! " 

Obedient  to  this  practical  hint,  the  third 
chariot  began  to  gain  upon  the  first  two.  Amy- 
tis grasped  her  bow  as  she  urged  the  steaming 
horses.  But  Mariamnu  stood  behind,  holding 
on  as  best  she  could.  Even  the  captive  Jewess 
had  caught  the  fire  of  this  mad  chase.  She 
wished  she  could  dash  through  all  her  life  like 
this.  If  only  it  could  be  without  the  queen ! 
Allit  easily  kept  the  lead  over  all,  by  a  few  rods. 
Behind,  a  score  of  attendants  on  foot  dashed  on. 
They  were  trained  to  run  like  the  gazelle. 

The   king   of   beasts   approached  the  jungle. 


162          THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

The  jungle  was  something  which  he  understood. 
These  arrows  and  spears  raining  upon  him,  these 
bewildering  shouts,  —  how  set  the  teeth  or  snap 
the  claw  at  them  ?  He  stopped,  and  cautiously 
looked  about  him.  He  saw  the  chariots  bearing 
down  upon  him  in  one  stern  rank.  He  was  sur- 
rounded on  all  sides.  But  this  brute  was  born  a 
coward,  and,  in  pursuance  of  his  nature,  he  turned 
again  and  made  for  the  underbrush.  With  a 
mighty  spring  he  jumped  upon  the  line  of  beaters. 
There  was  a  terrible  cry  and  the  unmistakable 
sound  of  the  crunching  of  bones,  and  the  lion 
had  passed  over  the  body  of  one  unfortunate  and 
rushed  on. 

Allit  had  dismounted  by  the  time  the  chariots 
were  on  the  spot,  —  the  three  abreast.  The 
creature  had  already  done  more  execution 
through  cowardice  than  he  would  probably  have 
achieved  had  he  bravely  stood  at  bay. 

"  O  king,  it  is  a  grievous  shame !  See,  the 
beast  hath  sent  one  of  our  fellows  to  Ninkigal. 
Shall  we  let  a  third  one  out?" 

The  three  chariots  came  to  so  sudden  a  halt 
beside  Allit  that  the  horses  reared  upon  their 
haunches  with  angry  neighs. 

"  Nay,  save  the  rest.  We  will  track  this  one 
for  the  blood  he  spilt  until  he  die.  Wilt  thou 
follow  me,  noble  Jew  ?  "  Nebuchadrezzar  had 
leaped  to  the  ground,  with  bow  in  hand. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.        163 

"  Verily,  O  king,  thy  servant  goeth  in  the 
name  of  Jehovah." 

"  And  I  too,  in  the  name  of  Ishtar."  Amytis 
shot  Daniel  a  sarcastic  look.  She  had  dis- 
mounted. Her  body  swayed  with  a  lithe  free- 
dom peculiar  to  a  cat  or  a  panther.  Allit  ad- 
mired her  magnificent  figure.  But  Daniel  turned 
away,  as  if  afraid  of  being  seared. 

"Nergal  shall  lead  me,"  answered  the  king 
haughtily. 

"  And  Amytis  me  !  "  Allit  bent  low  with  his 
old  sweet  homage,  as  he  softly  whispered  this 
word. 

"  Away,  then !  "  Allit  spoke  to  the  beaters 
as  if  they  had  been  human  dogs  just  unleashed  ; 
and  indeed  they  were.  With  shouts  of  defiance, 
the  attendants  spread  into  the  steaming  jungle. 
The  king  struck  boldly  into  the  black,  luxuriant 
undergrowth,  followed  by  the  Jew,  the  captain, 
and  the  queen.  Amytis,  with  all  her  Median 
spirit,  was  quite  willing  to  allow  the  tall  warrior 
with  shield  and  spear  to  protect  her.  A  woman 
values  her  courage  chiefly  that  she  may  count 
it  as  naught  before  the  valor  of  man.  But  Ma- 
riamnu  was  left  behind,  with  the  charioteer  and 
the  dead.  She  was  forgotten  ;  nor  did  the  cap- 
tive maiden  grieve  at  this. 

-   The  small  party  had  stopped  for  breath.     A 


164          THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

slave  had  given  them  wine  from  a  skin,  and  they 
were  refreshed.  Only  Daniel  fasted.  The 
hunters  had  reached  a  little  clearing,  on  which 
the  moon  lay  like  a  high  tide.  Allit  drew  near 
to  Nebuchadrezzar,  and  put  a  hand  upon  his 
arm. 

"  What  ?  Where  ?  What  is  the  matter  ?  " 
whispered  the  king. 

The  captain  grimly  pointed  across  the  open 
space.  Dead  sugar-canes  crackled  about  them, 
wild  olive-trees  shaded  them,  and  the  yellow-- 
flowered acacia  shot  from  beneath  their  feet  like 
jets  of  fire  from  a  burning  world.  Amytis  had 
plucked  a  spray  of  scarlet  mistletoe,  as  she 
brushed  under  a  dead  sycamore ;  this  she  had 
coquettishly  twined  about  her  hair  and  bosom. 
As  the  hunters  stood  to  listen  for  the  game,  the 
flute  notes  of  a  nightingale  cut  the  soft,  moist 
air.  In  the  rapture  of  this  romantic  spot,  Amy- 
tis would  fain  have  drawn  nigh  and  hung  upon 
the  arm  of  Allit.  But  Daniel  gave  her  a  stern 
look,  and  her  warm  hand  dropped  at  her  side. 
The  shrill  cry  of  a  bittern  now  arose  like  the 
voice  of  a  herald  in  an  amphitheatre. 

"  Look  !  Look  !  "  whispered  Allit.  Not  four 
hundred  paces  ahead  of  them,  the  lion  cautiously 
stepped  into  the  full  moon,  and  looked  about 
him.  He  seemed  thoroughly  aware  of  his  dan- 
ger. The  lion  approached  the  king,  and  the 


THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         165 

king  boldly  started  alone  to  meet  the  lion. 
Every  heart  beat  the  faster ;  the  king  only  was 
really  cairn.  He  had  the  unmistakable  assur- 
ance of  one  of  his  own  gods.  His  shadow  seemed 
to  fall  like  that  of  a  mountain.  The  two  mon- 
archs  of  the  earth  examined  each  other.  The 
lion  shivered,  and  turned.  As  he  did  this,  the 
king  shot,  and  the  arrow  pierced  through  the 
mane  into  the  neck.  With  a  catlike  motion 
of  the  paw,  the  creature  swept  the  arrow  from 
its  wound,  and  turned  upon  its  royal  torturer. 

Nebuchadrezzar  did  not  swerve.  He  awaited 
the  attack  as  calmly  as  he  would  receive  a  dep- 
utation in  his  audience  chamber.  His  men 
sprang  to  divert  the  lion,  but  he  waved  them 
back.  The  lion  did  not  leap  upon  the  king,  but 
approached  him  warily.  This  caution  made  the 
duel  the  more  ominous.  Nebuchadrezzar  dropped 
upon  his  knee,  and  took  a  long,  steady  aim.  He 
seemed  carved  from  stone,  and  his  bow  stood 
out  in  white  relief.  No  one  dared  to  stir.  As 
the  lion  bent  for  his  fatal  spring,  the  simul- 
taneous whir  of  bowstring  and  arrow  was  heard. 
The  beast  leaped  into  the  air.  The  king  stepped 
aside,  expecting  to  see  his  prey  dead  at  his  feet. 

But  the  son  of  Merodach  had  missed  his  aim 
for  the  first  time  in  many  years,  and  before  a 
heart  could  beat,  the  lion,  with  a  stroke  of  his 
paw,  had  smitten  the  king's  leg,  and  had  felled 


166         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

him  to  the  ground.  The  victorious  creature 
now  stood  over  the  prostrate  favorite  of  Nergal, 
and  snarled  at  Allit  and  at  Daniel.  Who  dared 
stir  ?  The  furious  animal  might  mangle  the 
king  beneath  him.  The  two  men  started  for- 
ward together.  The  lion  awaited  them.  The 
king  had  the  wit  not  to  make  the  slightest  mo- 
tion, well  knowing  that  it  were  his  death.  Allit, 
with  a  mighty  plunge,  thrust  his  sword  at  the 
lion's  breast.  As  he  did  so,  he  gave  a  great 
shout,  hoping  to  disconcert  the  creature.  But 
the  Libyan  was  too  quick  at  parrying.  He 
caught  the  sword  in  its  descent  with  his  claws, 
and  hurled  it  from  the  captain's  hand.  Allit, 
nothing  daunted,  grasped  his  dagger,  and  gave 
a  brave  leap  towards  the  lion's  jaw.  As  he  did 
this,  he  slipped  in  the  marsh,  and  fell  short 
across  the  head  of  the  king.  The  dagger  struck 
a  stump,  and  lay  there  useless.  The  lion's  hot 
breath  fanned  the  two  men.  He  tossed  his 
head,  and  growled  confident  summons  to  a  sure 
death. 

Daniel  was  left.  His  slight  figure  looked 
ridiculously  disproportionate  to  such  a  mad  ven- 
ture. His  nervous  hand  tightened  upon  his 
short  blade,  and  he  took  a  step,  fastening  his 
wonderful  eyes  upon  the  hungry  creature.  The 
lion  did  not  cower  before  the  governor  of  Baby- 
lon or  the  seer  of  Judah,  but  his  motions  be- 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         167 

came  less  restless.  He  eyed  the  Jew  with  re- 
spect and  interest ;  he  seemed  for  the  moment 
to  forget  his  victims  in  some  new  sensation 

O 

powerful  enough  to  divert  vengeance.  Daniel 
had  the  appearance  of  one  who  hesitates  for  an 
instant  between  two  courses  of  action.  Would 
he  trust  too  far  to  magic  or  mysticism,  setting 
Heaven  knew  what  incomprehensible  power 
against  a  wounded  lion  ? 

Suddenly  he  tore  off  his  outer  cape,  and 
flaunted  the  woollen  cloth  in  the  reflecting,  al- 
most calmed  face  of  the  animal.  This  taunt 
was  too  much.  The  lion  jumped  for  the  Jew. 
No  trained  gladiator  could  have  anticipated  that 
leap  more  surely.  The  young  man  left  the  cloth 
in  the  clutch  of  the  claws,  and,  bending  low  and 
to  one  side,  plunged  the  dagger  up  to  its  chased 
hilt  into  the  lion's  heart. 

"  There  is  no  sorcery  in  that  blow.  He  is 
a  king  among  hunters.  Allit  is  a  child  beside 
him."  Thus  spoke  Amytis  to  herself.  She  ran 
forward  lightly,  and  perched  herself  upon  the 
quivering  carcass. 

"  Nergal  is  great.  He  hath  preserved  his 
servant,"  groaned  the  king  when  Daniel  sought 
to  lift  him  up. 

"  Nay,  my  lord,  it  was  Balatsu-usur."  Allit 
spoke  with  the  deference  a  man  of  power  feels 
towards  his  physical  superior. 


168         THE  MASTER    OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  Nay,"  said  Daniel  solemnly,  "  it  was  Je- 
hovah." 

"  Not  a  single  shot  to-night !  "  Amytis  still 
sat  upon  the  warm  beast,  and  spoke  with  pert 
petulance.  She  did  not  concern  herself  about 
the  king's  wound. 

"Another!"  The  king's  voice  rang  with 
its  usual  imperiousness.  "Let  the  third  beast 
out !  "  He  tried  to  rise  again,  but  fell,  groan- 
ing. 

"  Get  me  to  my  chariot,"  admitted  Nebuchad- 
rezzar, "  and  let  us  to  the  palace.  Haste,  or  I 
bleed  to  death." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

RELIEF  from  mortal  emergency  either  strength- 
ens the  enduring  power  or  perceptibly  decreases 
it.  Little  troubles  become  so  paltry  by  contrast 
that  one  disregards  them ;  or  else  they  fret  us 
more  than  ever,  because  the  greater  misery  has 
left  no  strength  to  bear  the  less.  In  the  house 
of  Mutusa-ili  there  dwelt  the  dregs  of  sadness 
fallen  from  the  first  foam  of  joy  which  had 
bubbled  about  the  escape  of  the  sage. 

Several  things  contributed  to  the  despondency 
which  Lalitha  could  not  help  sharing,  while  her 
whole  strong,  joyous  youth  protested  against  it. 
It  might  be  natural  to  an  aged  man,  —  she  sup- 
posed it  was  to  be  expected  that  old  people 
should  be  gloomy  ;  but  for  a  well  girl  with  a 
live  father,  what  was  the  use  in  moping?  And 
the  captain  of  the  guards  had  been  to  see  them 
twice,  thrice,  and  another  time,  since  that  dread- 
ful day  in  the  court  of  judgment.  Lalitha  ran 
about  the  house  singing.  Life  was  delightful ! 

But  when  she  looked  upon  her  father's  face, 
Lalitha  stopped  singing.  Mutusa-ili  had  aged 
fifteen  years  in  as  many  days.  His  professional 


170          THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

humiliation,  his  wasted  skill,  his  ruined  reputa- 
tion, the  quiver  of  an  awakening  sense  of  neg- 
lected honor,  the  outcries  of  an  abandoned  faith, 
the  pressure  of  beliefs  that  he  found  it  equally 
hard  to  choose  or  refuse,  —  all  were  heavy  upon 
the  old  man's  spirits.  His  strength  broke ;  he 
had  been  a  vigorous  man,  but  physical  weak- 
ness, like  a  new  acquaintance,  took  hard  hold  of 
him,  and  puzzled  him.  He  wondered  whether 
the  darkened  life  which  the  Jew  and  the  Baby- 
lonian had  saved  were  worth  the  cost  at  which 
it  had  been  bought. 

He  spoke  gratefully  and  decorously  to  Allit 
and  to  Daniel ;  neither  of  the  two  young  men 
neglected  the  disgraced  scholar ;  but  when  they 
had  left  the  house,  he  turned  wearily  to  Lalitha 
and  murmured,  — 

"  Are  our  guests  departed  ?  Leave  me,  my 
daughter,  for  I  would  commune  with  mine  own 
heart." 

Now,  another  calamity  had  befallen  the  shad- 
owed home.  Lalitha  thought  it  a  pretty  piece 
of  good  fortune,  and  Kisrinni  chuckled  about 
it  like  an  ape.  Only  the  old  father  understood 
it.  Lalitha  had  received  a  summons  to  court. 

The  lion-hunt  was  over.  The  moon  had 
waned.  The  king  was  fretted  by  his  wound, 
which  did  not  heal  as  it  should  ;  a  certain  viru- 
lence, new  even  to  the  morose  nature  of  Nebu- 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         171 

chadrezzar,  began  to  creep  into  the  royal  moods. 
The  kin£  needed  incessant  excitement.  He  de- 

O 

manded  every  day  some  new  thing  under  the 
sun.  Novelty,  in  all  ages  the  most  difficult 
pleasure  to  provide  for  caprice,  evaded  the  skill 
of  Ashpenaz  and  the  captain  of  the  guards. 
Nothing  happened.  The  city  was  without  event. 
The  court  was  dull.  The  lion  was  killed,  and 
the  king  was  torn,  and  the  war  was  over,  and 
the  dream  was  interpreted,  —  and  what  now  ? 

One  day  the  king  took  to  his  fancy  a  thought, 
which  (Allit  had  blessed  all  the  gods  of  Baby- 
lon) had  escaped  the  royal  reflection  up  to  this 
unlucky  moment. 

"  Behold,"  said  Nebuchadrezzar,  "  I  would 
have  before  me  the  maiden.  She  was  a  comely 
maiden,  and  pleaded  bravely  for  the  soothsayer 
her  father.  Verily,  it  was  a  pretty  beggar ! 
Now,  I  bethink  me,  she  did  kiss  the  latchet  of 
my  sandal.  Bring  her  hither  to  me." 

Now  Allit,  who  was  the  official  bearer  of  the 
command,  received  it  with  a  heavy  heart.  Like 
other  men  of  his  sort,  he  was  ready  enough  him- 
self to  play  with  the  down  on  the  wing  of  his 
white  bird ;  but  the  aim  of  another  hunter 
startled  him  with  strangling  rage.  Up  to  this 
time,  be  the  truth  told,  it  had  never  occurred 
to  the  captain  that  he  might  not,  whenever  the 
time  came  —  why  hasten  ?  she  was  so  young,  so 


172         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

fair,  so  pure  —  "  make  love  "  to  the  daughter 
of  Mutusa-ili  in  any  fashion  that  should  best 
please  him,  and  to  any  end,  or  no  end,  as  his 
mood  might  dictate.  He  regarded  Lalitha  as, 
in  a  sense,  his  own  ;  these  new  impulses  of  his 
higher  nature,  these  strange  movements  of  an 
emotion  as  different  from  passion  as  the  maiden 
herself  was  different  from,  say,  the  queen  of 
Babylonia,  puzzled  the  captain  of  the  guards. 
He  treated  them  as  fine,  fresh  flavors  in  the 
wine  of  love,  not  to  be  drunken  too  quickly  or 
too  rudely ;  for  even  the  Babylonian  found  him- 
self refined  by  the  delicate  atmosphere  of  an  ex- 
perience not  usual  to  his  nation  or  his  class. 

But  when  the  king  —  Ah,  that  was  another 
matter ! 

Lalitha  at  court  ?  Lalitha  ordered  to  the 
harem  of  Nebuchadrezzar?  The  captain  clutched 
his  sword  and  set  his  teeth.  Too  terrible  ! 

"  Bear  thou  my  command,"  said  the  king 
moodily.  "  Why  standest  thou  there  hesitating 
before  me  ?  Bring  unto  me  the  maiden,  and 
that  forthwith." 

Instead  of  obeying  this  mandate  immediately, 
the  captain  of  the  guards  took  his  life  in  his 
hands,  and  delayed  on  the  way  at  the  gorgeous 
apartments  of  the  new  governor  of  Babylonia, 
in  the  outer  palace.  In  hot  words  he  poured 
forth  his  story,  and  entreated  the  assistance  of 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.    173 

the  Jew  who  kept  no  women,  and  who  had,  for 
the  time, — Allit  dully  wondered  what,  frater- 
nal, unearthly,  divine  tenderness  and  protecting 
care  for  the  daughter  of  Mutusa-ili. 

Daniel  heard  him  to  the  end  without  remark ; 
then  said  composedly,  — 

"  But,  pray,  sir  captain,  why  is  thy  soul 
troubled  ?  Why  may  not  one  fate  as  well  as 
another  befall  the  maiden?  In  Babylon  these 
things  are  the  fashion.  The  king's  favor  is 
grateful  unto  women.  Why  should  not  the 
damsel  go  before  the  king?" 

"  Thou  ravest !  "  blazed  Allit.  "  Thy  prefer- 
ment hath  turned  thy  head  and  poisoned  thy 
spirit.  I  did  think  thee  a  god,  unspotted,  —  not 
like  other  men.  Thou  art  worse  than  other  men, 
for  thou  hast  the  power  to  free  the  netted  bird, 
and  thou  refrainest.  I  will  have  none  of  thee, 
thou  spoiled  captive  !  " 

"Nay,  softly,  my  good  friend,"  said  Daniel, 
with  a  strong  smile.  "  Listen  to  me.  Answer 
me  the  question  of  my  soul  to  thine,  before  thou 
judgest  of  me.  .  .  .  What  wouldst  thou  with 
Lalitha  ?  Tell  me,  captain  of  the  guards !  Is 
the  favor  of  the  monarch  less  honorable  to  the 
maiden  than  the  secret  thoughts  of  thine  own 
heart?" 

"  I  have  never  wronged  the  girl !  "  protested 
Allit.  But  his  eyes  fell  before  the  stern  gaze  of 
the  ascetic. 


174         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  Nay,"  replied  Daniel  quietly,  "  nay,  thou 
takest  thy  leisure.  .  .  .  Go  from  me,  Allit. 
Ponder  my  words.  As  for  the  maiden,  leave 
her  case  to  me." 

"  Must  she  come  to  court  ? "  groaned  Allit. 
"Is  there  no  way  of  preventing  —  of  interfer- 
ing" 

"  She  must  appear  within  the  gates,"  said 
the  governor  of  Babylon.  "The  king  will  be 
obeyed." 

Allit,  who  perforce  bore  the  royal  mandate  to 
the  house  of  Mutusa-ili,  was  closeted  with  the 
weakened  sage  for  a  long  and  painful  consulta- 
tion ;  but  to  Lalitha  he  did  not  explain  the  situ- 
ation. The  two  men  understood  its  full  gravity. 
The  girl  comprehended  it  no  more  than  she  did 
the  secrets  of  the  worship  of  Ishtar.  She  re- 
garded a  visit  to  the  court  as  a  gala  occasion, 
and  innocently  prepared  herself  for  it  with  girl- 
ish delight.  It  was  very  perplexing  to  Lali- 
tha that  when  Kisrinni  had  robed  her  in  a  gay 
costume  of  crimson  silk  heavily  wrought  with 
golden  beads,  and  had  clasped  her  soft  arms 
with  her  mother's  jewels,  —  bracelets  of  cor- 
nelian and  gold,  and  curious  agates  bound  with 
golden  chains,  —  Mutusa-ili  should  frown  darkly 
at  the  slave. 

"  Knowest  thou  no  better  than  that?"  he  de- 
manded, with  something  of  his  old  force.  "  Re- 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         175 

move  these  baubles,  Kisrinni !  Robe  thy  mis- 
tress in  her  white  garment,  even  such  as  she 
weareth  at  her  daily  tasks ;  and  see  thou  to  it 
that  she  is  veiled  exceedingly,  for  I  cannot  ac- 
company the  maiden  to  the  palace,  as  I  would." 

Alas  for  Mutusa-ili !  The  disgraced  sooth- 
sayer would  not  be  welcomed,  probably  not  re- 
ceived, within  the  palace.  The  debilitated  old 
man  had  not  the  pluck  to  force  an  entrance  into 
the  gay  world  which  had  abandoned  him. 

"I  cannot  protect  the  maiden,"  he  had  said  to 
Allit,  with  a  despondency  all  but  abject.  "  She 
goeth  more  safely  in  the  shelter  of  her  own  in- 
nocence than  within  my  palsied  arm.  Mutusa- 
ili  hath  become  naught,  and  less  than  naught,  at 
the  court  of  Nebuchadrezzar.  I  will  entreat 
Balatsu-usur  that  he  may  exercise  his  mercy 
for  the  damsel,  if  danger  befall  her.  To  the 
Jew,  and  to  the  God  of  the  Jew,  do  I  commend 
her." 

Thus  it  was  that  Lalitha  with  the  old  slave 
made  her  way  to  the  palace  unattended.  Hav- 
ing seen  the  king  before,  the  girl  did  not  find 
herself  overawed  by  him.  She  thought  him 
quite  agreeable,  and  answered  his  inquiries 
naively.  But  the  palace  absorbed  her.  Her 
wide,  innocent  eyes  wandered  over  it  like  a 
child's. 

"  It   is   very   pretty,"  she   said,  with  a  long 


176         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

breath.  "  I  have  been  counting  the  fountains 
in  the  court.  There  are  twenty-seven.  I  would 
my  dear  father  had  one.  He  complains  of  the 
drouth,  since  he  has  been  sick." 

"Is  Mutusa-ili  ill?"  asked  the  monarch,  melt- 
ing between  a  smile  and  a  frown. 

"  Oh,  yes,  king,  did  you  not  know  that?  "  re- 
plied Lalitha,  sighing.  "  I  must  go  back  to  him 
now.  I  must  not  linger.  He  will  miss  me." 

"  Thou  hast  a  fair  face,"  said  the  king  dream- 
ily. "Thou  art  like  a  flower.  Stay  awhile 
with  me,  for  I  too  am  not  well." 

He  looked  at  the  trembling  girl  gloomily. 
Nebuchadrezzar's  weakness  was  not  for  women. 
In  his  present  dark  mood,  he  regarded  Lalitha 
almost  coldly.  But  her  exquisite  beauty,  her 
artlessness,  her  innocence,  seemed  to  spring  to 
him  like  budding  blossoms.  As  he  watched  her, 
a  curious  tenderness,  half  paternal,  half  devout, 
overcame  him. 

"  I  am  not  well,"  he  repeated  complainingly. 
"  I  suffer.  Comfort  thou  me." 

"  I  will  come  another  day,"  replied  Lalitha, 
fluttering.  "My  dear  father  must  not  be  left 
alone  too  long.  I  pray  you,  good  king,  to  let 
me  say  farewell  now,  and  go  my  way.  The 
palace  is  very  pretty,  but  I  have  seen  enough. 
I  would  go  home  now.  Come,  Kisrinni !  " 

"Verily,"  muttered  the  king,  "she  hath  no 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.    177 

more  fear  than  a  dove  in  mid-heaven.  She  is  a 
choice  creature  for  a  man  not  overborne  with 
affairs,  or  who  desireth  to  rest  himself  there- 
from. Methinks  at  another  time  I  might  not 
feel  so  ill.  I  might  arouse  myself,  and  appre- 
ciate the  maiden." 

He  made  a  sign  of  dismissal,  which  Lalitha 
joyfully  obeyed.  She  could  not  have  told  why, 
but  she  began  to  be  very  anxious  to  be  at  home. 
In  the  outer  court,  she  fancied  that  she  heard 
the  voice  of  Allit,  and  was  comforted  to  believe 
that  he  protected  her.  She  hastened  to  pull 
Kisrinni  after  her,  that  they  might  depart 
swiftly. 

But  at  this  moment  Ashpenaz,  followed  by 
a  slave  girl,  sauntered  across  the  mosaic  floor, 
and  brushed  by  Lalitha,  so  near  that  she  winced 
and  shrank  away  from  him,  and  in  so  doing 
slipped  upon  the  marble.  In  the  effort  to  re- 
gain her  balance,  she  lost  sight  of  Kisrinni,  for 
whom  she  called  loudly. 

"  Hush  thee  !  "  whispered  the  slave  girl.  "  I 
will  show  thee  the  way.  Follow  me." 

Before  sunset,  Allit,  raging  in  the  outer  court, 
where  he  stood  on  duty  and  on  watch,  under- 
stood perfectly  that  Lalitha  had  been  decoyed 
into  the  harem  of  the  king. 

Once  again  the  captain  of  the  guards  made 


178          THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

hot  haste  to  the  governor  of  Babylonia;  this 
time  he  was  ready  to  tear  him  in  pieces. 

"Thou  boastest  that  thou  wouldst  save  the 
maiden  !  And  there  thou  standest  —  at  thy 
prating  prayers  —  like  a  slave  about  to  be  cast 
into  a  den  of  lions  ;  while  Lalitha  —  By  Bel- 
Merodach,  and  Jehovah  " 

"  Nay,  nay,"  interrupted  Daniel  serenely, 
"  take  not  the  name  of  Jehovah  upon  thine 
idolatrous  lips." 

"  Verily,  I  would  take  Jehovah  for  my  god," 
cried  Allit  furiously,  "  if  that  would  help  the 
maiden  !  " 

"  The  spirit  which  Jehovah  respecteth  is  not 
thy  spirit,"  said  Daniel.  "  Thou  knowest  not 
of  what  thou  ravest.  As  for  the  maiden  "  — 

Allit  interrupted  the  governor  by  a  terrible 
groan.  He  hid  his  handsome  face  in  his  fash- 
ionably ringed  hands.  Daniel  had  never  seen 
such  emotion  in  the  man  of  pleasure. 

"  What  wouldst  thou,"  repeated  the  Jew 
sternly,  —  "  what  wouldst  thou  with  the  daugh- 
ter of  Mutusa-ili  ?  " 

"  Worship  her  !  "  cried  the  captain.  His  face 
came  up  from  his  hands.  He  had  not  known 
until  that  moment  that  he  did  worship  Lalitha. 
But  now  there  seemed  to  be  no  doubt  about  it. 

"  And  wed  her  ?  "  asked  the  Jew. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         179 

Allit  changed  color.  His  heart  felt  as  if  it 
overturned  in  his  body.  His  large  eyes  opened 
widely  in  genuine  astonishment. 

"  I  had  not  thought  of  —  marrying"  replied 
the  courtier  frankly. 

"  Go  thou,"  said  Daniel  sternly.  "  Go  from 
me.  Leave  the  damsel  as  she  is.  Verily,  she 
is  safer  in  the  harem  of  Nebuchadrezzar  than 
in  the  peril  of  thy  false  heart.  .  .  .  She  lov- 
eth  thee,"  said  the  Jew.  "  She  loveth  thee,"  he 
repeated,  one  could  not  say  how  mournfully. 
"  Love  is  the  net.  Yea,  love  is  the  danger." 

"  I  believe,"  returned  the  agitated  captain, 
"  that  thou  thyself  "- 

But  he  faltered  before  the  Jew's  deep  glance. 

"  I  myself  do  honor  her,"  said  Daniel,  in  a 
low,  awed  voice  ;  u  thou  hast  said  it.  I  do  honor 
the  damsel,  and  thou  shalt  do  her  no  dishonor, 
neither  now  nor  at  any  time  to  come.  As  Je- 
hovah is  my  witness,  Allit,  thou  shouldst  take 
shame  upon  thyself  that  thou  lookest  upon  the 
face  of  the  maiden,  for  thine  eyes  do  work  sor- 
row upon  her,  and  thou  regardest  it  not !  " 

"  I  do  but  go  the  way  of  my  people,"  protested 
Allit,  "and  the  way  of  my  times.  It  is  not 
demanded  of  a  man  that  he  wed  the  woman 
whom  his  choice  prefers." 

"  The   way   of    thy   people   is   the   way  of 
abomination  !  "  answered  the  Jew  energetically. 


180          THE  MASTER   0F  THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  Babylon  is  the  whore  of  the  world.  Behold, 
there  is  yet  another  kind  of  manhood  from  the 
manhood  of  Babylonia.  The  living  God  taketh 
pleasure  in  it,  and  the  heart  of  a  modest  maiden 
turneth  safely  to  it.  Be  thou,  Allit  Arioch,  be 
thou  that  man." 

"  Thou  demandest  of  me  a  miracle !  "  said 
Allit,  in  a  low  voice. 

"  If  the  purity  of  a  man  be  a  miracle,  then  do 
I,"  answered  Daniel.  "  But  more  than  this  do  I 
demand  of  thee :  yea,  verily,  that  thou  shalt 
plunge  thyself  in  the  waters  of  the  soul  and  lave 
thyself,  and  cleanse  thy  heart,  and  abhor  thyself, 
until  thou  becomest  fit  to  touch  the  hem  of  the 
garment  of  this  maiden,  than  whom  is  none  so 
white  of  soul  in  all  Babylon  ;  and  that  thou  pray 
the  living  God  to  have  mercy  upon  thee,  if  so 
be  thou  mayst  become  worthy  to  take  the  dam- 
sel from  his  hand,  and  abide  with  her,  and  her 
only,  and  cherish  her,  and  protect  her,  and  en- 
dear thyself  to  her,  as  a  man  endeareth  himself 
to  his  wife  in  the  sight  of  God  and  men." 

Allit  made  no  reply.  His  brain  whirled.  He 
felt  as  confused  as  if  the  Jew  had  commanded 
him  to  take  a  throne  beside  Jehovah ;  which, 
to  the  fancy  of  the  aristocratic  idolater,  was  not 
an  incredible  proposition.  He  looked  at  Daniel 
perplexedly.  Then  his  eyes  dropped  like  a  lit- 
tle boy's.  The  seer's  gaze  transfixed  him. 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         181 

That  indescribable  radiance  which  sometimes 
surrounded  the  Jew  began  to  scintillate,  and 
a  throbbing,  like  a  pulse,  beat  through  it ;  it 
seemed  to  overflow  and  to  flood  the  Babylonian. 

The  moral  force  of  the  young  devotee  over- 
whelmed the  captain  of  the  guards.  He  felt 
that  he  was  becoming  conquered  by  an  incom- 
prehensible superiority.  Curiously  enough,  he 
put  his  hand  to  his  sword.  The  military  instinct 
came  first ;  of  his  soul  he  knew  next  to  nothing. 
What  was  this  impalpable  power  ?  Could  not 
the  truest  blade  in  the  battalion  stab  it  ?  Allit 
tried  to  recover  himself,  but  the  Jew  stood 
sternly.  Moved  by  he  knew  not  what  that  was 
irresistible,  the  soldier  bowed  his  head ;  he  took 
the  attitude  of  devotion  before  Balatsu-usur ; 
his  large  lips  moved  silently. 

"  Thou  art  a  god,"  he  whispered.  "  After  all, 
thou  must  be  a  god." 

"  Nay,"  said  Daniel  gently,  "  I  am  but  a  man 
who  serveth  a  God." 

"  Preserve  thou  the  maiden,"  entreated  Allit 
humbly.  "  Snatch  her  from  the  trap  that  hath 
set  its  teeth  upon  her.  Then  shalt  thou  com- 
mand the  commander  of  the  king's  guards.  Lo, 
I  would  be  the  officer  of  thy  heart,  for  it  is  not 
like  the  heart  of  other  men." 

But  Daniel  made  no  answer.  He  had  become 
again  absorbed  in  prayer. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

IT  was  the  dead  of  the  hot  night.  Babylon 
was  gay  that  night.  There  was  a  carousal  at 
the  gate  of  the  king,  and  the  streets  were  sympa- 
thetically merry.  The  larger  palace  was  awake 
and  athrob.  Everybody  of  importance  was 
there.  The  women  of  the  harem  bestirred  them- 
selves languorously,  and  looked  out  of  their  cage 
with  soft,  long,  narrow  eyes.  It  had  been  the 
royal  pleasure  that  the  news  of  the  banquet 
should  reach  them  at  a  late  hour.  When  it 
came,  the  girls  chattered  among  themselves  like 
peacock  chicks.  What  an  event,  to  have  some- 
thing to  say !  During  the  first  long  hours  that 
Lalitha  had  shared  their  perfumed  prison,  these 
women  had  uttered  but  two  or  three  remarks. 
An  Egyptian  said,  — 

"  I  have  been  trying  to  count  the  flies.  I 
miss  the  count.  I  think  there  are  a  thousand." 

A  Babylonian  danseuse  had  yawned,  and  mur- 
mured, — 

"  I  am  very  sleepy." 

The  liveliest  girl  in  the  harem  played  at  toss- 
ing an  ivory  ball  from  a  silver  cup.  When  she 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         183 

caught  the  ball,  she  laughed  excessively,  and 
said,  — 

"See!     See!" 

But  now  that  the  announcement  of  the  ca- 
rousal had  been  allowed  to  penetrate  their  flow- 
ery dungeon,  the  girls  found  their  mute  tongues ; 
their  dull  minds  stirred;  their  light  natures 
puffed  about  like  down.  The  king,  the  queen, 
the  feast,  the  dance,  the  chief  eunuch,  formed 
exciting  topics  of  what  they  called  conversation. 
To  Lalitha  it  was  a  great  relief  that  the  women 
had  at  last  found  something  to  speak  of.  They 
had  stared  at  her,  and  examined  her  robe,  and 
mocked  at  her  tears,  till  she  could  have  crushed 
them  all,  like  poisonous  gnats.  When  the 
Egyptian  said,  "'Oh,  you  will  get  used  to  it ;  " 
and  the  danseuse  said,  "I,  too,  cried  —  I  cried 
as  much  as  an  hour,"  Lalitha  shrank  from  them, 
as  near  the  entrance  to  the  guarded  rooms  as 
she  could  get,  and  put  her  veil  before  her  face, 
as  if  they  had  been  rude  men.  Now,  at  least,  the 
harem  had  forgotten  its  new  inmate,  and  she 
could  weep  in  peace.  Lalitha  listened,  in  hope 
and  terror,  for  every  sound.  She  expected  her 
release  each  moment.  She  considered  that  the 
slave  had  made  a  mistake,  and  that  she  would 
be  immediately  freed  and  taken  home.  She 
scarcely  gave  a  thought  to  the  details  of  the 
harem.  She  had  a  vague  sense  of  sumptuous 


184         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

draperies,  rugs,  and  skins ;  of  half -robed  women 
prone  upon  them  ;  of  a  stifling  atmosphere,  in 
which  it  seemed  the  air  of  heaven  never  blew ; 
of  musk  and  attar  of  roses  ;  of  incense  and  old 
tapestries  ;  of  fountains  playing  idly  ;  of  pea- 
cock's fans,  and  cups  of  wine  half  drained ;  of 
pillars  and  apartments  opening,  dim  and  gor- 
geous, beyond  the  closed  court ;  of  tinkling 
music,  frail  and  foolish,  trickling  from  unseen 
instruments  ;  of  the  voice  of  an  unseen  singer, 
languorously  singing :  — 

Fold  the  wing,  —  fold  the  wing, 

Soft-eyed  bird. 

Sleep  and  sing,  —  sleep  and  sing. 
Do  not  weep,  —  do  not  weep, 

Pretty  thing  ! 

Love  and  sleep,  —  love  and  sleep. 
Pluck  the  flower  of  the  hour. 

Joy  is  deep. 
Red  the  flower,  rich  the  hour. 

Sweet  is  sleep. 

Lalitha  had  listened  to  this  song  with  her  face 
hidden  in  her  veil ;  her  hot  tears  scorched  her 
own  sweet  flesh,  and  she  lifted  her  arm  and 
kissed  them  off,  as  if  she  had  been  consoling 
a  child.  When  she  looked  up  the  harem  was 
empty.  The  last  of  the  girls  had  been  called  to 
her  place  at  the  feast,  and  she  was,  or  seemed 
to  be,  quite  alone.  This  terrified  her,  and  she 
began  to  sob  afresh.  At  this  moment  the  fringe 


THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         185 

of  the  long  curtain  of  cloth-of-silver,  near  which 
she  was  crouching,  swept  inward  and  brushed 
against  her  arm  ;  the  little  gust  which  came 
with  it  puffed  into  her  face  like  a  warm  breath. 
A  low  voice,  sadder  and  sweeter  than  any  she 
had  heard  in  the  harem  of  the  king,  said  apa- 
thetically, "  Thou  art  to  follow  me." 

Lalitha  bounded  to  her  feet,  and  dried  her 
tears  with  the  quickness  of  youth  and  hope. 
She  looked  into  the  delicate,  despondent  face  of 
Mariamnu. 

"  Thou  art  come  to  take  me  home  !  "  cried 
Lalitha  joyfully.  She  followed  Mariamnu  with- 
out a  word  of  protest.  The  captive  singer  made 
no  reply  to  the  girl's  artless  outcry.  She  walked 
in  advance  of  her,  with  bowed  head.  Once  she 
extended  her  hand  backward,  and  touched  the 
white  robe  of  Lalitha ;  then  gently  let  it  drop. 
Lalitha  looked  at  her  inquiringly.  The  two 
girls  traversed  the  court  and  the  corridor  in  per- 
fect silence. 

44  But  we  are  going  into  the  palace,  not  out !  " 
cried  Lalitha  suddenly.  She  stopped  short. 
"  This  is  not  the  way  we  came.  This  is  not  the 
way  out.  This  is  not  the  way  home.  Take  me 
home  !  I  must  go  home  !  " 

But  Mariamnu  shook  her  head.  "  Thou  must 
follow  me,"  she  said  hopelessly.  "  The  queen 
commandeth  audience  of  thee." 


186         THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

The  night,  as  we  said,  was  hot.  The  heavy 
air  gave  no  breath  to  the  revelers,  and  they 
dropped  out  in  groups,  or  by  twos,  to  rest  in 
the  great  gardens.  Here,  at  least,  one  could 
steal  a  march  upon  whatever  breeze  there  might 
arise,  and,  languidly  sunken  upon  the  cool  grass, 
or  a  leathern  couch,  or  thin  rug  of  fine  silk,  rest, 
and  rise,  and  play  again.  Flowers,  oh,  flowers  ! 
What  a  world  of  them !  The  Babylonians  were 
the  great  flower  lovers  of  the  world.  The  pal- 
aces were  tapestried  with  them ;  the  revelers 
were  festooned  with  them,  even  as  people  of  a 
more  sparing  taste  decorate  pillars  or  shrines  ; 
the  gardens  seemed  not  by  a  blossom  depleted 
of  them. 

The  queen,  tired  of  the  carousal,  and,  if  the 
truth  were  told,  annoyed  that  the  captain  of  the 
guards  had  not  chosen  to  approach  her,  willed  to 
rest  herself  without  the  palace.  She  had  chosen 
a  mat  of  golden  tissue  flung  upon  a  bank  of  red 
oleanders.  Her  women  stood  at  a  little  distance, 
her  deaf-mutes  behind  her ;  Ashpenaz  looked  on 
decorously.  But  the  queen  was,  to  all  practical 
conversational  purposes,  alone  when  Mariamnu 
brought  Lalitha  into  her  presence.  Lalitha  made 
no  pretense  of  any  manners,  but  was  crying  now, 
right  heartily.  She  remembered  the  queen  only 
too  well. 

Amytis  regarded  her  in  cold,  critical  silence. 


THE  MASTER  OF  TUB  MAGICIANS.         187 

"  It  is  a  blubbering  creature,"  she  said  at 
length.  "Stop  that  boo-hooing,  or  I'll  have 
thy  fool  of  a  head  from  thy  bundled  shoulders. 
Pull  off  her  robe,  Mariarnnu.  Teach  her  how 
the  slaves  dress  at  the  court  of  Babylon." 

To  these  royal  words  Lalitha  answered  by 
sinking  on  her  knees,  and  begging  for  her  free- 
dom, with  all  the  fervor  of  fright  and  ignorance. 

Amytis  laughed  lightly. 

"We  consider  that"  she  said  with  signifi- 
cance, "  when  thou  hast  shown  some  courtesy  to 
thy  queen.  Answer  me  such  questions  as  I  shall 
ask,  and  then  we  will  consult  upon  thy  free- 
dom." 

"  Gladly  will  I  !  "  cried  Lalitha  happily. 
"  Anything  thou  desirest,  so  that  thou  send  me 
home  to  my  poor  father.  I  fear  me  he  will  die 
of  terror  by  this  time." 

"Knowest  thou,"  asked  the  queen  abruptly, 
"  the  captain  of  the  guards  ?  " 

"Yea,  verily,"  said  Lalitha  promptly.  It  did 
not  occur  to  her  that  there  was  any  reason  why 
the  queen's  eminently  proper  question  should 
not  be  answered. 

"  His  name  is  "  —  began  the  queen  idly. 

"Allit.  I  call  him  Allit.  I  think  the  sol- 
diers call  him  Arioch,  also." 

"  Ah,  yes.  I  remember.  He  cometh  to  the 
house  of  thy  father  ?  " 


188         THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  Yes,  indeed,  surely  he  cometh.  He  is  a  great 
friend  of  my  father." 

"  Ah,  yes.     Cometh  he  often  ?  " 

"  Not  so  often,  once.  Very  often,  lately,"  said 
Lalitha  artlessly. 

"Yes?     As  often  as"  — 

"  Every  few  days,  it  may  be  ;  or  a  day  longer. 
He  is  very  kind." 

"  Hum  —  yes  —  I  see.  Thou  say'st  it.  And 
to  thee  ?  Is  he  kind  to  thee,  my  girl  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  indeed !  "  cried  Lalitha.  "  He 
saved  my  poor  life,  to  begin  with.  He  caught 
me  from  under  the  chariot,  thou  knowest.  The 
captain  has  been  always  kind  to  me.  I  am 
grateful  to  him.  We  are  very  fond  of  him." 

The  openness  of  the  girl's  tone  was  no  more 
to  be  mistaken  than  its  joyousness.  The  queen's 
face  grew  dark.  In  this  dialogue  the  good  and 
the  evil  were  almost  equally  candid.  Amytis 
had  too  unchastened  and  unchecked  a  nature 
to  play  the  politician,  either  in  love  or  hate. 
Simple  as  Lalitha  was,  she  could  not  fail  to 
perceive  the  expression  of  rage  which  mounted 
slowly  to  ferocity  upon  the  handsome  counte- 
nance of  the  Median. 

"You  see  this  captain — let  me  say — how 
often?"  demanded  the  queen.  "Your  father 
is  shrewd  enough  to  wink  at  the  intrigue,  I 
make  no  doubt.  Tell  me  !  How  many  days  in 
the  seven?" 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         189 

There  is  a  turn  in  such  moral  duels  when  art- 
lessness  becomes  discretion  itself.  Lalitha  sud- 
denly grew  as  mute  as  the  deaf-and-dumb  slave 
who  fanned  the  queen.  Her  ingenuousness 
rose  upon  its  guard,  like  the  ruffling  fur  of  a 
tame  doe  that  is  abused.  She  put  her  pretty 
lips  together,  and  received  the  questions  of  the 
queen  in  soft  and  obstinate  silence. 

What  might  she  not  have  done  ?  Could  any 
poor  word  of  hers  hurt  her  captain  ?  It  djd  not 
occur  to  Lalitha  whether  her  naivete  could  hurt 
herself. 

"  Answer  me  !  "  commanded  the  queen. 

Lalitha  burst  into  tears. 

"  I  was  never  moved  by  the  tears  of  a  slave," 
said  Amytis  scornfully.  "Yours  and  you  are 
not  worth  the  leisure  of  the  daughter  of  Astya- 
ges.  You  cease  to  be  amusing  to  me,  you  toy 
of  the  king's  captain !  And  now  —  and  now  "  — 
repeated  the  queen,  with  a  rising  voice  —  "  you 
last  new  whim  of  a  half-mad  king  —  come 
hither!" 

Lalitha  hesitated,  advanced,  and  drew  back. 

"  Come  to  me  !  "  cried  Amytis  shrilly. 

Lalitha  trembled,  but  obeyed,  drawing  quite 
near  to  the  reclining  figure  of  the  queen.  Amy- 
tis raised  herself  on  one  elbow,  and,  putting  out 
her  small,  dark  hand  with  a  catlike  motion, 
drew  the  girl's  arm  within  her  reach.  Suddenly 


190         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

bending  her  head,  she  laid  her  lips  to  the  soft 
curve  of  the  inner  forearm,  as  if  the  sardonic 
fancy  had  seized  her  to  feign  a  kiss  upon  it. 

Lalitha  drew  back,  with  a  loud  cry  of  pain. 
The  small  teeth  of  the  Median  had  closed  and 
met  upon  her  flesh. 

There  was  something  so  vicious,  so  unqueen- 
like,  in  this  act  of  vulgar  jealousy  and  brutality 
that  even  Ashpenaz  uttered  an  expression  of 
surprise  or  protest.  This  recalled  the  queen  to 
herself.  She  pushed  the  bleeding  girl  away 
violently,  and  summoned  the  eunuch  to  her  side. 
A  whispered  order  shot  into  his  dull  ear.  The 
eunuch  seemed  to  reply,  or  to  be  about  to  reply 
earnestly.  But  Amytis  waved  him  away,  and, 
gathering  herself  like  a  pantheress  from  the 
oleander  bed,  with  a  light  bound  moved  up  the 
garden  toward  the  palace.  Her  women  followed 
her,  swaying  like  paper  lanterns  —  bright  trifles 
—  in  a  shadowy  scene.  Ashpenaz  laid  his  hand 
upon  the  robe  of  Lalitha. 

"  Your  way,"  he  said,  "  is  with  me." 

"  I  will  shriek !  "  cried  Lalitha.  She  raised 
her  young  voice.  "  I  will  call  on  the  whole 
world !  Some  of  these  people  will  save  me ! 
There  must  be  one  who  would  take  a  poor  girl 
out  of  this  awful  place  !  " 

"  If  you  utter  a  sound,"  replied  the  eunuch, 
"  she  will  have  the  head  of  your  captain  for  it." 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.        191 

Lalitha  and  the  eunuch  came  to  a  sudden 
halt  at  the  extreme  limit  of  the  royal  pleasure- 
grounds  looking  toward  the  Nana  road.  She 
had  followed  him  pathetically,  a  quelled  creature. 
The  name  of  her  lover  had  conquered  the  girl. 
She  could  only  die,  at  the  most.  But  oh,  not 
a  hair  of  Ms  perfumed  head  should  come  to  harm 
because  of  her.  Lalitha  set  her  teeth  upon  her 
terrors,  and  gave  no  alarm.  She  had  stumbled 
through  the  shrubbery  blindly,  half  'dragged, 
half  supported,  by  the  eunuch,  who  cursed  the 
queen,  but  obeyed  her,  as  his  nature  was.  In 
the  distance,  in  a  solitary  spot,  Lalitha  saw  two 
tall  guards.  They  had  spears ;  the  light  from 
the  gardens  behind  caught  the  tips  of  the  spears. 
She  began  to  sob,  like  a  little  frightened  girl ; 
but  she  did  not  attempt  to  cry  out. 

When  Ashpenaz  came  to  so  abrupt  a  stop, 
she  looked  about  her  wildly.  No  one  was  to  be 
seen.  The  guards  were  still  at  a  distance,  and 
had  not  observed  her.  What  ailed  the  eunuch  ? 
He^  staggered,  and  put  his  hand  to  his  head.  He 
drew  his  breath  with  difficulty.  He  acted  like 
an  asphyxiated  person.  Suddenly  he  thrust  out 
both  hands  before  his  suffused  face,  as  if  in  pro- 
test against  an  invisible  power.  Then  they 
dropped  at  his  side.  He  had  thus  released  the 
girl,  apparently  quite  unconscious  that  he  did  so, 
and  now  sank  slowly,  like  a  man  overcome  by 


192          THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

sleep  or  wine.  As  Lalitha,  sick  with  repulsion 
and  terror,  watched  him,  he  rolled  upon  the 
grass  at  her  feet,  and  fell  into  a  deep  swoon,  or 
slumber. 

Lalitha  was  too  frightened  to  dare  run,  nor 
did  she  know  where  to  run.  She  made  a  little 
start  out  into  the  street,  and  stood  panting.  By 
this  movement,  she  came  out  from  behind  the 
shadow  of  the  shrubbery,  and  thus  brought  her- 
self face  to  face  with  Balatsu-usur.  He  was 
standing  quite  still.  He  looked  as  tall  and 
white  as  a  marble  pillar. 

"  Veil  thyself,"  said  the  Jew,  "  and  come  unto 
thy  father." 

He  spoke  strangely,  almost  dully.  He  had 
the  distrait  appearance  of  a  mystic  or  of  a  hypno- 
tizer ;  of  a  man  interrupted  either  in  communion 
with  his  God  or  in  an  experiment  upon  a  fellow- 
man,  it  was  not  easy  to  say  which.  It  might 
have  been  both.  Daniel  had  an  extraordinary 
duality  of  nature.  If  ever  there  was  a  spiritual 
man  of  the  world,  he  was  the  man.  He  did  not 
glance  in  the  direction  of  the  eunuch. 

"  Thou  savest  me  !  "  cried  Lalitha  softly. 
She  was  still  afraid  of  the  soldiers.  She  crept 
around  the  other  side  of  her  preserver,  so  that 
he  should  be  between  her  and  the  spears. 

"  Jehovah  saveth  thee,"  said  the  young  man 
solemnly. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.    193 

"  That  fat  man  in  the  bushes  has  tumbled 
down,"  said  Lalitha,  with  the  irreverence  and 
irrelevance  of  girlishness  and  pity.  "  I  think 
he  has  a  fit." 

Her  protector  made  no  reply. 

"I  am  afraid  of  the  soldiers,"  proceeded  Lali- 
tha. "  The  man  was  fain  to  give  me  to  them. 
Would  they  put  out  my  eyes  with  their  spears, 
do  you  think  ?  And  pierce  my  tongue  with  a 
red-hot  iron  ?  " 

Lalitha's  imagination  dwelt  upon  one  of  the 
prevailing  punishments  of  her  time,  with  the 
high  colors  of  terror  and  inexperience.  A  slight 
tremor  passed  through  the  body  of  her  calm 
companion  ;  he  drew  her  hand  upon  his  arm,  as 
they  passed  the  guardsmen  in  silence.  The  two 
spears  were  lowered  instantaneously.  The  offi- 
cers saluted  the  governor  of  Babylon.  When 
he  had  passed  them,  he  gently  dropped  the  hand 
of  his  charge,  and  turned  the  corner  of  the 
street.  He  seemed  to  be  reflecting,  that  he 
might  use  the  highest  words  to  the  maiden  ;  that 
he  might  take  from  the  rarest  opportunity  the 
richest  treasure. 

"  God  love  thee,  Lalitha,"  he  said  at  last. 

But  might  not  a  man  do  as  much  ?  Oh,  but 
he  was  young,  and  a  man,  after  all !  She  was 
so  lovely,  she  was  so  lovable,  she  was  so  soft. 
She  clung  to  his  robe  so  prettily,  and  leaned 


194         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

toward  him  so  confidingly ;  she  was  so  wan  with 
her  fright,  with  her  wound,  with  the  blood 
upon  her  arm,  and  her  tears ;  she  was  so  pitiful 
and  adorable  ;  she  was  so  weak  and  so  mighty ; 
she  was  so  harmless  and  so  dangerous !  Is  a 
man  a  god,  that  he  shall  neither  see,  nor  know, 
nor  feel  ? 

As  Daniel  walked  beside  Lalitha  through  the 
streets  of  Babylon,  his  holy  heart  held,  who 
knew  what  human  tumult?  The  devotee  had 
never  before,  in  all  the  years  that  he  had  known 
the  girl,  passed  as  much  time  as  this  alone  in 
her  sweet  presence.  A  perfectly  new  experience 
awaited  the  saint.  He  moved  down  the  streets 
beside  her,  in  a  silence  which  awed  Lalitha,  as 
if  he  had  been  a  deity.  His  lips  stirred.  Did 
he  pray  ?  At  the  threshold  of  her  father's  house, 
the  young  man  turned,  and  gently  raised  Lali- 
tha's  bleeding  arm  and  examined  it.  His  lip 
quivered.  Then  he  lifted  her  face  by  the  tip  of 
one  finger  beneath  her  delicate  chin,  as  he  would 
touch  a  child,  and  looked  upon  her  longer  than 
he  had  ever  looked  in  his  life.  His  countenance 
was  blinding  beautiful. 

"  May  God  watch  between  thee  and  me,"  he 
said  gently.  "  And  now  go  in,  my  child.  Arouse 
thy  father  with  thine  own  voice.  Dearer  than 
the  voice  of  angels  will  it  be  to  his  ear.  And, 
verily,  I  wonder  not  thereat." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

LALITHA'S  girlish  voice,  pealing  joyously  at 
her  father's  door,  brought  no  response.  She  re- 
peated the  call,  but  without  effect. 

"  Try  the  door,"  said  the  Jew  quickly.  It 
was  not  barred.  The  latch  yielded  to  her  light, 
obedient  hand  ;  and  the  two  stepped  into  the 
house.  It  was  perfectly  still,  and  very  dark. 

"  He  is  asleep,"  said  Lalitha  uneasily,  "  or  he 
sitteth  in  his  tower  to  calculate.  I  will  run  and 
call  him." 

"  I  attend  thee,"  said  Daniel  gravely,  "  and 
by  thy  permission,  I  precede  thee." 

He  pushed  on  before  toward  the  apartments 
of  the  sage.  The  dumb  and  darkened  house 
echoed  to  their  footsteps.  Lalitha  ran,  calling, 

"  Father,  father,  father !  " 

The  sickening  sensation  which  possesses  one 
who  utters  a  beloved  name  vainly  is  never  with- 
out a  premonition  of  the  hour  when  it  shall  have 
been  uttered  for  the  last  time.  Lalitha,  too 
young  to  know  what  she  feared,  but  fearing  the 
the  more  for  that,  began  to  sob.  They  had 
reached  the  lower  story  of  the  tower  in  which 


196         THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

the  sage  worked.  The  apartment  was  dimly 
lighted  by  one  small  oil-lamp  that  had  well-nigh 
spent  itself.  Heavy  shadows  crouched  in  the 
corners,  as  if  they  had  flung  themselves  there 
headlong.  In  one  of  these,  a  figure  prone  upon 
an  ottoman,  and  covered  with  a  rug,  could  be 
imperfectly  distinguished. 

"  Maiden,  stand  back  !  "  said  the  voice  of  the 
governor  of  Babylon,  with  the  full  note  of  au- 
thority. He  held  out  his  devout,  athletic  arm  to 
bar  her  way.  Deftly  as  the  motion  of  a  light 
leaf  before  a  great  wind,  the  girl  dived,  —  her 
sinuous  body  dipped  below  the  Jew's  hand,  — 
she  swayed  to  her  balance,  and  flung  herself 
upon  the  ottoman  with  a  loud  cry,  which  waked 
—  Kisrinni  ;  soundly  sleeping,  and  perfectly 
comfortable  in  spite  of  her  excessive  anxiety. 
This  she  hastened,  in  the  full  flower  of  Oriental 
speech,  to  make  known,  with  such  facts  as  she 
had  to  add  to  it ;  they  were  few  enough. 

When  she  had  returned  from  the  palace  with- 
out her  mistress,  Mutusa-ili  stared  her  in  the 
face,  "  like  a  man  gone  five  days  dead,"  and  de- 
manded his  daughter. 

"  Thou  must  demand  her  of  the  king,"  said 
the  slave  woman.  It  did  not  seem  to  have  oc- 
curred to  her  that  she  was  not  bearing  agreeable 
intelligence.  Mutusa-ili,  at  these  words,  bowed 
his  head,  "  as  if  he  had  been  a  slave,"  said  Kis- 


THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         197 

rinni,  and  had  said  no  word  to  the  woman,  but 
departed  from  her,  and  ascended  to  the  tower 
where  he  was  accustomed  to  wed  solitude  to 
study,  and  bitterness  to  age.  He  had  walked  so 
feebly,  and  he  trembled  so  in  climbing  the  pro- 
jecting bricks  that  led  to  the  conical  tower,  that 
Kisrinni,  for  very  anxiety,  had  remained  on 
watch  in  the  room  below.  She  could  not  under- 
stand why  it  was  not  an  honor  that  Lalitha 
should  enter  the  harem  of  the  king  ;  but  an  old 
man  who  tottered  on  a  brick  twenty  feet  above 
ground,  —  this  was  comprehensible.  Kisrinni's 
fidelity  was  proportionate  to  her  nature.  At 
all  events,  since  he  ascended  the  tower,  noth- 
ing had  been  heard  of  Mutusa-ili.  Kisrinni 
could  not  climb  the  bricks,  and  that  was  the  end 
of  the  matter. 

Lalitha  was  quite  used  to  the  tower,  and  she 
flew  up  the  narrow  steps  with  wings  in  her  feet. 
The  governor  of  Babylon  followed  her  more 
slowly,  as  best  he  might.  When  they  came  out 
together  upon  the  top,  the  girl,  by  a  pretty  in- 
stinct, for  very  girlish  fright,  drew  back  and 
clung  to  him. 

The  young  ascetic  trembled. 

" 1  protect  thee,"  he  whispered,  —  "I  protect 
thee." 

In  the  open  space  beneath  the  stars,  Mutusa- 
ili  sat  upright.  His  gray  head  was  bare  to  the 


198         THE  MASTER  OF   THE   MAGICIANS. 

now  rising  wind.  The  dew  had  touched  it.  At 
his  feet  lay  his  diagram  of  the  planets  and  their 
prophecies ;  the  shallow  Persian  glass  of  water 
used  by  astrologers  to  prescribe  a  fate  stood  be- 
side the  diagram  ;  dark  scrolls  and  rare  tablets 
of  ancient  clay,  familiar  to  magicians  and  famous 
among  them,  lay  scattered  in  unusual,  it  seemed 
to  be  perhaps  intentional,  disorder  around  him. 
He  sat  stiffly.  His  face  was  turned  toward  the 
palace.  The  music  of  the  revel  came  faintly, 
like  the  language  of  another  planet,  to  the 
tower.  His  eyes  stared  before  him.  An  open 
scroll  lay  upon  his  lap ;  the  edge  made  a  little 
crackling  noise  in  the  wind.  His  hands  were 
clasped  upon  the  scroll.  When  the  two  came 
up  behind  him,  the  old  man  did  not  stir. 

"He  slumbereth,"  whispered  Lalitha  fear- 
fully. "  Shall  I  waken  him  ?  " 

"  Remain  thou,"  said  the  Jew,  in  some  agita- 
tion. "  I  will  awaken  him." 

He  stepped  up  and  laid  his  hand  upon  the  old 
man's  shoulder.  He  called  him,  Honored  sage, 
Dear  master,  Father  of  Lalitha ;  and  each  name 
came  in  a  louder  voice,  and  seemed  more  im- 
perious and  more  precious  than  the  last.  But 
Mutusa-ili  made  answer  to  none  of  them.  Dan- 
iel gently  stooped,  and  tried  to  unlock  the  old 
man's  cold,  clenched  hands.  As  he  did  so,  the 
dim  light  revealed  to  these  devout  eyes,  so  fami- 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         199 

liar  with  the  sacred  writings  of  his  faith,  the 
contents  of  the  scroll  which  the  despairing  cap- 
tive soothsayer  of  Babylon  had  substituted  for 
the  mysteries  and  mockeries  of  the  Chaldean 
magic. 

Mutusa-ili  held  beneath  his  stiffened  clasp  the 
holy  writings  of  his  unacknowledged  ancestors, 
—  the  hymns  of  David,  prophet,  poet,  and  king 
of  Israel.  His  finger  rested  upon  the  words : 

"My  soul  lonyeth,  yea,  even  faint  eth,  for  the 
courts  of  the  Lord" 

"He  sleepeth,"  said  Lalitha  decidedly.  But 
she  shrank,  and  did  not  touch  the  silent  figure. 
She  had  come  around  in  front  of  it  now,  so  that 
she  stood  between  the  old  man's  fixed  eyes  and 
the  palace  which  he  had  watched,  — who  shall 
say  how  long,  or  how  piteously  ?  With  what  un- 
recorded prayers  had  the  disgraced  and  helpless 
father  sought  to  avert  the  dishonor  of  his  house 
and  the  anguish  of  his  child !  Had  he  exhausted 
the  craft  of  the  idolater,  or  discarded  it  ?  Had 
he  come  at  the  last,  driven  by  a  deceived  intel- 
lect or  drawn  by  a  broken  heart,  to  the  God 
of  his  abandoned  people?  Did  Bel-Merodach 
deny?  Would  Jehovah  reply?  Poor  old  dis- 
appointed eyes,  turn  but  once.  Give  but  a 
glance.  Is  there  not  a  gleam  of  recognition  in 
your  steady  look  ?  Look  at  Lalitha  !  Oh,  look 
but  once  at  Lalitha ! 


200          THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  He  sleepeth,"  repeated  Lalitha  uneasily. 

"  If  it  be  the  will  of  God  that  I  do  tell  thee," 
said  the  Jew  in  a  deep  voice,  "  his  will  be  done. 
For  thy  father  sleepeth  not,  save  as  they  sleep 
who  wake  no  more." 

44  But  thou  saidst  thou  wouldst  waken  him !  " 
cried  Lalitha.  She  had  begun  to  tremble,  but 
not  to  understand. 

"I  may  not,''  replied  Daniel  solemnly,  —  "I 
may  not  do  that  deed." 

'*  But  thou  art  the  master  of  the  masters," 
pleaded  the  girl.  "  Thou  art  the  Master  of  the 
Magicians.  All  Babylon  knoweth  this.  Since 
the  king  dreamed,  thou  canst  not  deceive  us  of 
thy  art.  Waken  my  father !  Thou  wiser  than 
the  Chaldeans  of  Chaldea,  waken  my  father! 
Thou  greater  than  Mutusa-ili,  waken  him !  " 

But  the  Master  of  the  Magicians  bowed  his 
head  before  the  girl. 

"  Behold,"  he  whispered,  "  there  is  a  greater 
than  I.  The  magic  of  the  living  God  hath  been 
wrought  upon  Mutusa-ili.  If  he  waken  or  no, 
at  some  other  time,  God  knoweth.  It  is  not 
revealed  to  me.  .  .  .  Come  thou  !  This  is  no 
place  for  thee,  my  child.  Go  thou  below,  to 
the  slave  woman.  I  will  attend  thee.  .  .  .  Per- 
haps," added  Daniel,  in  genuine  masculine  des- 
peration, "  Kisrinni  can  explain  the  matter  to 
thee." 


THE  MASTER    OF  TEE  MAGICIANS.         201 

Lalitha  walked  a  few  steps  obediently,  like  a 
child.  At  the  top  of  the  brick  ladder  which 
led  from  the  tower,  she  turned  and  looked  back. 
The  Jew  had  fallen  upon  his  knees,  and,  with 
his  face  toward  the  west,  prayed  silently.  His 
hand  lay  upon  the  hands  of  her  father,  and  the 
three  hands  upon  the  old  scroll  that  crackled 
in  the  wind.  Now  Daniel  seemed  to  be  making 
an  effort  to  turn  the  old  man's  body,  or  the  low, 
movable  seat  upon  which  he  sat,  so  that  Mutusa- 
ili's  fixed  eyes,  too,  should  seek  the  Holy  City, 
while  the  captive  prayed. 

Lalitha  did  not  go  down  the  brick  stairs. 
She  stood  perfectly  still. 

"  My  father  dieth,"  she  said  distinctly.  "My 
father  is  dead." 

She  did  not  say  anything  more,  or  cry  out. 
She  thrust  forth  both  her  hands  confusedly,  tot- 
tered, and  sank.  He  caught  her  on  the  brink 
of  the  stairway,  down  which,  otherwise,  she 
must  have  dashed  headlong. 

"  Run  thou !  "  called  Daniel  to  the  slave  wo- 
man. "Run  quickly  to  the  nearest  guard  at 
the  corner  of  the  Street  of  the  Tamarisks,  and 
make  known  to  him  that  the  governor  of  Baby- 
lon desireth  the  attendance  of  the  captain  of  the 
guards." 

It  was  almost  dawn  when  Allit  came  into  the 


202          THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

presence  of  Lalitha.  The  two  young  men,  with- 
out other  help  than  the  old  slave's,  had  done  all 
that  was  needful  upon  the  top  of  the  tower. 
The  dead  astrologer  lay  in  the  lower  room, 
among  his  parchments  and  his  diagrams,  his 
tablets  and  his  calculations.  Even  in  his  death 
he  looked  more  solitary  than  most  men,  and 
more  comfortless.  Beneath  his  clasped  hands, 
the  songs  of  David,  prince  of  Israel,  remained 
undisturbed. 

Balatsu-usur  gathered  the  soothsayer's  manu- 
scripts and  planisphere  into  a  corner  of  the 
room,  where  he  covered  them  from  sight  with  a 
woolen  cloth,  as  if  the  eyes  of  the  dead  might 
see  them,  and  find  some  disturbance  in  the 
sight. 

"Let  them  lie  there,"  he  said  authoritatively. 

"  Come  thou.  Be  witness  unto  me  while  I 
read  what  I  did  observe." 

Beneath  the  Psalm  of  David,  upon  the  dead 
man's  knee,  a  second  writing  had  been  found. 
This  was  a  small  tablet,  inscribed  with  a  stylus. 
Upon  the  words  of  clay  the  clay  hand  rested 
heavily;  there  had  been  some  difficulty  in  re- 
moving it.  When  Daniel  had  brought  the  tab- 
let close  to  the  little  oil-lamp,  and  had  examined 
it,  he  laid  it  down  reverently.  It  was  the  will 
of  Mutusa-ili.  It  bore  date  of  but  a  week  ago. 
Thus  it  ran  :  — 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         203 

Methuselah,  Jew,  worshiper  of  Jehovah,  in- 
habitant of  Babylon,  known  to  men  as  Mu- 
tusa-ili,  invofcer  of  idols,  interpreter  of  the  stars 
and  diviner  of  dreams. 

My  fields,  my  house,  and  my  goods  shall  be 
for  my  daughter,  Lalitha.  I  appoint  Daniel, 
Governor  of  Babylon,  Prince  of  Israel,  wor- 
shiper of  Jehovah,  guardian  to  Lalitha.  Let  her 
be  subject  unto  him.  May  the  great  God,  whose 
name  is  recorded  on  this  tablet,  curse  her  with 
irrevocable  malediction,  and  scatter  her  race 
even  to  the  last  days,  if  she  cleave  not  to  the 
God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  and  Daniel, 
whose  servant  I  am,  alas,  too  late. 
Witnesses :  — 

EGIBI,  royal  treasurer  and  banker, 
son  of  Adamu. 

HANANIAH,  son  of  David. 

MISHAEL,  sou  of  Elzaphan. 

AZARIAH,  son  of  Jezaniah. 

BABYLON,  month  Ululu,  day  25th,  in  the  fifteenth  year  of 
the  accession  of  Nebuchadrezzar,  king  of  Babylon. 

The  two  young  men,  when  they  had  read  the 
will,  exchanged  glances.  The  eye  of  Allit  was 
feverish  and  half -closed  with  .  emotion  ;  it  was 
more  nearly  wary  than  the  captain's  boy-like 
gaze  had  ever  been  before  in  his  life.  But  Dan- 
iel's expression  had  the  steadfast  illumination  of 
a  man  to  whom  duty  is  as  dear  as  it  is  clear. 


204    THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

After  all,  both  were  men,  and  both  were  young. 
This  will  threw  Lalitha  absolutely  under  the 
control  of  the  Jew.  The  governor  of  Babylon 
could  do  as  he  would  with  his  ward,  and  there 
would  be  neither  law  nor  sentiment  to  ask  a 
question  of  him.  Power  more  precious  to  Allit 
than  the  throne  of  Babylon  lay  in  the  hands  of 
this  promoted  captive,  this  saintly  courtier,  the 
captain's  official  and  moral  superior,  his  friend 
—  and  his  rival  ? 

Had  he  a  rival  in  this  sacred  youth  ?  Was 
the  Master  of  the  Magicians  the  master  of  the 
last  and  finest  magic  of  human  life  ?  Would  he 
will  away  or  woo  away  the  inclination  of  the 
fatherless  girl?  Nay,  had  he  already  wrought 
upon  the  spell  ? 

The  captain  was  not  an  imaginative  man ;  but 
as  he  laid  the  tablet  back  in  the  hand  of  Balat- 
su-usur,  his  fancy  took  an  unprecedented  flight. 
He  felt  to  the  full  of  his  nature  the  possibilities 
of  the  situation.  Daniel's  invaluable  presence 
at  the  crisis  of  the  girl's  bereavement,  his  en- 
dearing tenderness,  his  dangerous  ability  to  be 
of  use  to  her,  the  glamour  of  the  dead  father's 
confidence  and  evident  preference,  the  supreme 
personal  beauty  of  the  prince  of  Israel,  — 
what  would  these  mean,  what  would  they  do,  to 
Lalitha  ? 

The  man  of  a  hundred  successful  intrigues, 


THE  MASTER    OF   THE  MAGICIANS.          205 

he  who  had  held  the  fairest  women  of  Babylon 
at  the  feet  of  his  light  fancy,  felt  before  these 
facts  something  like  the  surprise  of  a  child  at 
its  first  hurt.  It  seemed  to  Allit  as  if  he  had 
received  a  sabre  thrust  contrary  to  the  tactics. 
He  looked  at  Daniel  almost  stupidly.  The 
moral  force  of  the  Jew,  which  had  already  be- 
gun to  lift  the  "  soul  sodden  with  pleasure," 
found  a  tremendous  aid  in  the  plain  human 
complication.  To  spiritual  momentum  there 
was  now  added  the  push  of  commonplace  jea- 
lousy. Thus,  the  lower  motive,  like  the  higher, 
found,  as  it  often  does  in  our  strangely  economic 
scheme  of  things,  its  unexpected  and  important 
value. 

Allit  opened  his  full  lips  to  speak  —  some 
hot-hearted  words.  But  he  glanced  at  the  dead 
astrologer,  and  bowed  his  head  silently.  Dan- 
iel followed  the  look.  A  strange,  bright  smile 
curved  his  delicate  mouth. 

"Go  thou,"  he  said  gently,  —  "go  thou  and 
comfort  the  maiden  because  of  her  father.  She 
awaiteth  thee.  Perchance  she  hath  need  of 
thee,  for  her  sorrow  constraineth  her  sorely." 

"  Thou  art  not  as  other  men !  "  said  Allit 
reverentially.  But  he  went.  And  thus  at  the 
hour  of  dawn  he  came  to  her.  He  thought  of 
that  other  debt  he  owed  the  Jew;  by  whose 
power  —  whether  of  magic,  or  of  man,  or  of  the 


206          THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

gods,  the  Babylonian  knew  not  —  the  girl  had 
been  spared  from  deadlier  than  death.  He  did 
not  know,  at  that  moment,  whether  he  most 
honored  the  man  or  most  loved  the  woman. 
What  purity  had  Daniel  preserved !  A  delicacy 
and  embarrassment,  new  to  his  experience,  over- 
took the  captain  of  the  guards.  He  scarcely 
dared  to  raise  his  eyes  to  her.  When  he  did 
so,  an  instant  taught  him  that  the  girl  was  as 
unaware  of  what  she  had  escaped  as  she  was  of 
the  eternal  fate  of  the  dead  man  in  the  next 
room.  Lalitha  knew  no  more  of  moral  disease 
than  she  did  of  physical  dissolution.  Allit  ap- 
proached her  with  awe.  He  had  not  seen  her 
since  her  escape  from  the  harem  ;  and  his  emo- 
tion at  the  rush  of  events  was  great. 

Lalitha  was  in  the  ante-room  to  her  father's 
apartments.  Further  than  this  no  one  had  been 
able  to  persuade  her.  She  was  walking  up  and 
down  and  across  the  little  room.  Her  fluttering 
movements  reminded  Allit  of  the  fancy  con- 
scious to  him  the  first  time  that  he  saw  her,  — 
more  than  ever  she  had  the  look  of  a  bird.  She 
was  not  sobbing,  or  moaning,  but  yet  it  seemed 
to  him  as  if  she  would  beat  her  heart  out.  The 
room  was  still  very  dark.  At  the  eastern  door, 
but  a  little  ajar,  day  struggled  to  enter.  Baby- 
lon was  quiet,  uncommonly  so,  after  the  night's 
carousal.  In  the  streets,  the  early  water-car- 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         207 

riers  had  begun  to  stir  sluggishly,  but  the  citi- 
zens slept. 

Upon  the  date-palm  that  grew  between  the 
house  and  the  street,  a  swallow  had  found  itself 
awakened,  and  suddenly  swung  upon  the  lintel, 
and  pecked  thereat.  Lalitha  stopped  her  tem- 
pestuous pacing,  and  watched  the  swallow. 

"  It  is  the  spirit !  "  cried  Lalitha.  "  It  is  the 
spirit  of  my  father !  Let  him  in  !  Let  him  do 
as  he  willeth,  Kisrinni !  " 

But  Kisrinni  had  stepped  into  the  adjoining 
room ;  the  Jew  had  summoned  her ;  some  last 
service  to  the  dead  needed,  or  was  made  to  need, 
her  presence.  Allit  stepped  forward  quietly, 
and  opened  the  door  wide,  thus  bringing  him- 
self into  the  full  sight  of  Lalitha. 

"  Ah,"  she  sighed,  "  thou  !  " 

The  swallow  flew  in.  The  captain  closed  the 
door.  The  bird  beat  wildly  about  the  heads  of 
the  two.  Lalitha  watched  it  fearfully.  She 
was  full  of  the  superstitions  of  the  people  to 
whose  faith  her  father  had  apostatized,  and 
among  whom  she  had  been  reared.  The  swallow 
settled  slowly  toward  the  girl.  She  held  her 
breath,  and  lifted  her  beautiful,  wounded  arm, 
raising  her  forefinger  tip.  The  bird  descended 
gently,  regarding  her  with  the  mingling  of  cau- 
tion, suspicion,  and  trust,  seen  only  in  its  kind, 
and  then  delicately  dropped  and  poised  upon  her 
outstretched  finger. 


208          TIJE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

"  He  blesseth  me,"  whispered  Lalitha.  Allit 
did  not  speak.  What  could  he  say  ?  It  was 
but  a  swallow,  —  and  a  girl.  Yet  the  soldier  was 
as  dumb  as  any  mute  slave  in  Babylon.  Purity, 
delicacy,  exquisite  girlhood,  devoutness,  imagi- 
nation, —  these  were  matters  hard  to  be  under- 
stood. Add  the  sorrow  of  one  of  the  sorest  of 
human  bereavements,  and  the  Babylonian  bowed 
before  the  mystery.  Lalitha,  unconscious  and 
sweet,  was  the  unconquerable  fact  of  his  experi- 
ence. As  she  stood,  rapt,  with  the  bird  upon 
her  hand,  the  captain  of  the  guards  instinctively 
took  the  attitude  of  devotion  before  the  girl; 
then  deliberately  retained  it. 

The  bird  rose  slowly  ;  fluttered  above  her  up- 
turned face,  and  made  a  long,  fine  circle  over- 
head ;  then  darted  into  the  room  of  death. 
Lalitha  watched,  but  did  not  follow  it.  The 
astrologer  lay  in  the  state  which  age  and  scholar- 
ship and  high  repute  give  to  human  clay;  the 
sensitiveness  of  defeat  and  cruel  anxiety  added 
pathos  to  his  features.  Here,  if  ever,  lay  a  man 
dead  of  a  broken  heart.  Daniel  and  Kisrinni 
were  praying  beside  the  corpse ;  the  one  ad- 
dressed Jehovah,  the  other  muttered  a  charm, 
well  known  to  have  been  revealed  to  the  mother 
of  the  king  by  Bel-Merodach.  The  swallow 
circled  over  the  body  of  Mutusa-ili :  then,  mount- 
ing slowly,  sought  the  tower  of  the  sage,  and 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         209 

escaped  through  the  exit  of  the  brick  stair- 
way. As  the  bird  broke  free,  day  burst  upon 
Babylon. 

"  He  is  gone  !  "  moaned  Lalitha. 

When  she  turned,  the  dark  room  was  flooded 
with  the  suiibreak  from  above.  The  bird  could 
be  heard  singing  without.  The  captain  of  the 
guards  still  stood  in  the  attitude  of  devotion ; 
Daniel  communed  with  Jehovah.  The  slave  wo- 
man whispered  snatches  from  a  familiar  hyimi 
to  "  The  House  of  the  Land  of  Death :  "  — 

"  To  the  land  of  no  return  he  hath  departed ; 
To  the  afar  off,  to  regions  of  corruption, 
Where  light  is  never  seen,  where  the  dead  exceed  the  living ; 
Where  ghosts,  like  birds,  whirl  round  and  round  the  vaults 
of  dust." 

But  Allit  prayed  to  Lalitha.  She  wavered 
toward  him,  with  a  little  appealing  motion. 
Her  chin  began  to  quiver,  like  a  child's.  Her 
eyes  filled,  and  overflowed.  But  she  was  patheti- 
cally quiet. 

"  I  comfort  thee,"  said  Allit  impetuously.  In 
an  instant  the  worshipper  had  become  the  lover. 
He  sprang  toward  her,  and  held  out  his  arms. 
"  Thou  shalt  not  weep,  for  thou  art  precious 
to  me,"  whispered  the  Babylonian.  "  Only  love 
me,  and  I  will  comfort  thee.  Try  to  love  me  !  " 
pleaded  the  captain  humbly. 

Lalitha' s  wan  little  face  changed  color  deli- 


210         THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

cately.  She  made  a  motion,  as  if  perhaps  she 
nodded ;  but  she  did  not  speak. 

"  Love  me,  Lalitha,  love  me !  "  entreated 
Allit.  "  Make  me  worthy,  for  1  am  unworthy. 
Make  thou  me  fit  to  take  thee  to  wife." 

"  My  father  is  dead,"  said  Lalitha. 

At  this  moment  the  Jew  entered  the  room. 
An  unearthly  radiance  illuminated  his  face.  He 
held  in  his  hand  the  tablet  of  clay.  She  tried 
to  read  it,  laid  it  down  and  sighed,  and  tried 
again.  Her  eyes  wandered  from  it  to  him,  to 
Allit,  drearily. 

"  By  the  authority  of  death,  I  ask  thee,"  said 
Daniel  tenderly.  "  Would st  thou  wed  this  man  ? 
Lieth  thy  happiness  in  his  keeping?  " 

"  My  father  is  dead !  "  repeated  Lalitha. 

"  Verily,  I  have  chosen  an  untimely  hour  to 
woo  the  maiden,"  whispered  Allit  between  his 
teeth.  "  Better  is  she,  it  seemeth,  in  thy  holy 
company.  I  am  only  a  man  like  other  men  !  " 

Devoutly  raising  her  cold  little  hand  to  his 
forehead,  the  captain  of  the  guards  made  obei- 
sance to  the  girl,  and,  suddenly  wheeling,  like  a 
phalanx  in  retreat,  left  her  with  the  Jew. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

O  HOT  Babylon !  The  Gate  of  God  had  be- 
come the  mouth  of  hell.  This  was  the  time  of 
the  year  when  rivers,  dashing  from  their  moun- 
tain sources,  were  devoured  by  the  sun  before 
they  reached  the  Euphrates.  A  lizard,  leaving 
its  shady  nook  in  the  crumbling  wall,  was  roasted 
to  death  as  it  touched  the  pavement.  Birds  sank 
in  their  stifling  flight,  and  fell  broiling  upon  the 
bricks.  Not  a  breath  shook  the  most  delicate 
leaves ;  pistachio  and  olive  branches  drooped 
pitifully ;  melons  and  rare  grapevines  shrank  to 
skeletons.  Without  and  within  the  city,  house- 
holders buried  themselves  deep  beneath  thick 
walls  of  unburnt  brick,  and  vagabonds  dug  into 
the  hot  earth  like  worms,  hoping  for  an  air  to 
breathe  that  was  not  aflame. 

Upon  the  ramparts  the  captains  of  tens  and  of 
hundreds  wrapped  themselves  in  thick  woolens 
and  hid  in  massive  chambers,  awaiting  with  im- 
patience the  evening  eastern  breeze.  But  the 
luckless  private  often  fell  upon  his  sentry  beat ; 
and  frequently  he  lay  where  he  dropped,  for  the 
exertion  of  lifting  him  might  bring  a  sunstroke 
upon  several  still  valuable  soldiers. 


212         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

But  who  pitied  the  slaves  within  the  walls? 
Babylon  was  but  a  royal  citadel  built  for  kingly 
pleasure.  The  ruthless  builder,  under  whose 
lash  a  thousand  frequently  perished  in  one  day, 
was  not  likely  to  spare  himself  the  least  of  his 
luxuries  in  this  deadly  weather.  Twice  ten  thou- 
sand laborers  had  not  rested  during  the  long 
night,  that  the  last  caprice  of  the  monarch 
might  be  finished  upon  the  day  appointed.  The 
Hanging  Gardens  were  built. 

Amytis  was  beside  herself  with  joy,  like  a 
child  with  a  new  bauble.  She  had  arisen  early, 
that  she  might  personally  inspect  the  finishing 
touches  given  to  the  great  work. 

After  the  queen  had  sent  her  chief  henchman 
to  conduct  Lalitha,  who  knows  where  ?  she  had 
gone  to  such  rest  as  satisfied  vengeance  gives, 
and  had  dropped  the  matter.  Her  commands 
were  always  scrupulously  obeyed.  Why  refer 
to  them,  especially  if  they  carry  an  urr:leasant 
tang  in  the  mouth  ?  But  when  morning  came, 
it  pleased  her  to  mention  the  subject  to  her 
eunuch.  Ashpenaz  stammered  in  confusion, 
when,  after  a  few  casual  remarks,  Amytis  asked 
him  sarcastically  whether  the  girl  objected  to 
her  escort  and  her  fate.  His  hesitation  aroused 
her  quick  suspicion. 

"  Is  the  deed  done  ?     Answer,  on  thy  head  !  " 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         213 

The  silver  parasol  held  above  her  trembled  in 
the  suffocating  air,  for  the  queen  had  stamped 
her  foot  with  a  concussion  worthy  of  a  market- 
woman  in  a  quarrel. 

"  Yes  —  yes  "  —  stuttered  Ashpenaz,  —  "  that 
is"  — 

"  Thou  liest ! "  said  the  queen  succinctly. 
Then  the  eunuch  fell  flat  upon  his  fuming  face, 
and  kissed  her  embossed  sandal,  and  implored 
mercy,  and  told  her  all  he  knew.  The  demon  of 
the  southwest  wind  smote  him  with  a  sunstroke. 
He  swooned.  He  had  a  fit.  When  he  came  to 
himself,  the  girl  had  escaped  him.  A  god  must 
have  snatched  her.  She  must  be  dead.  He 
was  sure  of  that.  She  was  probably  turned  into 
a  vampire.  It  was  hot  enough  for  any  transfor- 
mation. The  omens  he  had  consulted  did  not 
deny  this  supposition.  And  so  forth,  and  so  on. 

"It  is  a  great  disappointment,"  said  Amytis 
thoughtfully.  But  she  did  not  have  the  head 
of  Ashpenaz  for  it.  Her  garden  was  finished, 
and  that  was  occupation  enough.  After  a 
round  feminine  scolding,  she  forgave  the  chief 
eunuch.  She  found  herself  amused.  Her  loves 
and  her  jealousies  were  light.  When  she  had 
anything  else  to  do,  it  was  quite  possible  to  for- 
get the  daughter  of  Mutusa-ili.  Lalitha  was  the 
plaything  of  the  queen's  ennui.  Amytis  tossed 
off  the  subject  for  the  nonce,  and  turned  merrily 


214         THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

to  the  Garden  of  Ascents,  one  of  the  seven  won- 
ders of  the  civilized  world,  the  regal  gift  of 
Nebuchadrezzar,  her  lord  and  king. 

Nothing  was  impossible  to  this  king.  No 
potentate  known  to  history  has  ever  displayed 
such  constructive  faculty.  He  converted  it  into 
temples  and  palaces,  fortifications  and  gigantic 
reservoirs,  as  easily  as  a  woman  converts  fancy 
into  embroidery.  Nebuchadrezzar  was  the  Au- 
gustus of  Babylon.  His  most  ambitious  designs 
were  achieved  with  such  painstaking  elaboration, 
with  such  conscientious  workmanship,  and  with 
such  marvelous  celerity  that  his  contemporaries 
whispered  of  occult  enchantment,  as  explanatory 
of  his  success.  It  was  he  who  rebuilt  the  won- 
derful seven-towered  pyramid  to  the  god  Bel- 
Merodach.  Nebuchadrezzar  found  eight  other 
temples  in  Babylon  dismantled  and  sunken  in 
ruins,  besides  scores  of  neglected  shrines  through- 
out Babylonia ;  among  them  the  marvelous  tem- 
ple of  the  Seven  Spheres  at  Borsippa.  All  these 
he  restored  to  greater  than  their  original  propor- 
tions, and  furnished  them  with  gold  and  silver 
and  brass ;  with  the  richest  stones  and  woods 
and  stuffs  that  the  world  could  produce.  By 
way  of  pastime  he  had  excavated  the  Nahar 
Malcha,  the  royal  canal,  whose  broad  and  deep 
waters  connected  the  Tigris  with  the  Euphrates. 
But  the  indefatigable  builder  rested  his  fame 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.    215 

chiefly  upon  the ,  double  walls  that  inclosed  and 
protected  his  holy  city.  These  he  raised,  and 
without  he  ditched  them,  and  thus  he  strength- 
ened the  city.  The  skeptical  may  think  this  no 
great  work.  Let  it  be  remembered  that  this 
outer  wall  was  fifty  cubits  wide  and  two  hun- 
dred cubits  high,  and  inclosed  over  one  hundred 
square  miles.  Four  Parises  or  two  Londons 
could  encamp  therein  ;  and  the  number  of  the 
largest  Babylonian  bricks  required  to  rear  the 
outer  wall,  or  Imgur-Bel,  would  be  eighteen 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-five  millions, 
or  twice  the  amount  of  masonry  used  in  build- 
ing the  great  Chinese  wall. 

One  is  therefore  not  disposed  to  wonder  that 
this  king  (as  we  have  already  noticed)  built  his 
new  palace  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  over 
against  Kadimerra,  the  old  palace  of  the  kings 
of  Babylon,  in  the  incredible  space  of  fifteen 
days.  Nebuchadrezzar  at  his  best  energy  could 
annihilate  time ;  and  slaves,  to  whom  the  Egyp- 
tian captivity  of  the  Jews  would  have  been 
Elysian  ease,  wrought  the  marvels  at  which  the 
world  wonders. 

The  palaces,  the  pleasure-grounds,  the  bastions 
that  formed  the  royal  fastness,  on  the  eastern 
bank  of  the  river,  were  four  miles  in  compass, 
and  were  protected  by  three  frowning  walls  sur- 
rounded by  deep  moats.  These  fortifications 


216         THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

formed  the  impregnable  citadel  of  the  city. 
Their  outline  took  the  shape  of  an  oval.  On 
the  west,  the  Euphrates  bent  like  a  bow  about 
it.  At  the  north,  a  few  hundred  yards  above 
the  new  palace,  the  Shebil  canal  drained  the 
river,  and  carried  its  waters  into  a  huge  rectan- 
gular reservoir.  This  was  also  dug  by  the  king, 
and  called  the  Yapur  Shapu,  great  basin.  This 
body  of  water  formed  the  eastern  protection  of 
the  citadel.  From  the  southern  end  of  this  reser- 
voir, the  Shebil  canal  flowed,  turned,  and  again 
joined  the  river  at  the  distance  of  a  few  thousand 
cubits.  It  was  on  the  southern  extremity  of  this 
reservoir,  opposite  the  ancient  royal  palace,  that 
the  king  had  built  his  latest  freak  and  most  dar- 
ing design.  Here  Amytis,  embowered  in  moist 
trees  and  unwithered  flowers,  could  defy  the 
fearful  heat  under  which  the  builders  of  the 
mound  had  dropped  dead.  From  this  towering- 
height  a  breeze  was  possible.  From  all  sides 
the  water  cooled  the  air,  and  the  vast  basin  rip- 
pled below.  From  the  side  of  the  reservoir  the 
garden  rose  to  a  perpendicular  height  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  feet.  Arches  supported  each 
tier  on  this  side.  Those  in  the  Coliseum  give 
some  idea  of  the  architecture.  From  the  three 
other  sides,  the  structure  rose  in  five  pyramidal 
stages,  each  fifty  feet  in  height,  and  upborne  by 
pillars  of  brick  and  stone  over  twenty  feet  in 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         217 

circumference.  The  second  stage  was  supported 
on  six  hundred  and  twenty-five  pillars,  and  the 
fifth  on  one  hundred  and  sixty-nine.  Imagine 
the  grandeur  of  these  ascents,  when  the  total 
number  of  columns  reached  fifteen  hundred  and 
twenty-four,  of  the  same  height  and  circumfer- 
ence. Each  of  these  platforms,  as  well  as  the 
top,  was  finished  flat :  first  in  reeds  mixed  with 
bitumen  ;  over  this  a  solid  brick  masonry ;  next 
covered  by  a  coating  of  lead  from  across  the 
desert ;  the  whole  surmounted  by  a  layer  of 
earth  thick  enough  for  the  roots  of  the  largest 
trees.  A  winding,  decorated  staircase  led  from 
within  to  the  top.  Fountains  flashed  every- 
where. Groves  grew,  —  who  knew  how  ?  Seen 
from  a  distance,  the  forest  seemed  to  have  leaped 
into  mid-air.  Flowers  ran  over  the  mathemat- 
ical accuracy  of  the  design  like  freshets  of  color. 
Every  plant  known  to  Babylonia,  or  imported  by 
her  florists  from  Persia,  Judea,  Syria,  or  Media, 
was  fostered  here.  While  soldiers  dropped  of 
sunstroke  and  slaves  died  for  water,  these  royal 
flowers  were  shaded  and  cherished  day  and  night. 
Should  a  vine  droop,  chosen  by  Nebuchadrezzar 
to  please  a  fickle  queen,  or  a  bud  die  that  had 
been  honored  by  the  royal  selection?  A  line 
of  slaves  carried  the  water,  which  they  dared  not 
taste,  in  skins,  to  freshen  this  dream  of  delight. 
Garden  houses  and  exquisite  apartments  looked 


218         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

from  between  cool  leaves.  The  sumptuous 
fancy,  which  was  highly  cultivated  by  the  race 
and  by  the  age,  gave  itself  every  possible  trick 
to  make  the  mountain  garden  agreeable  to  the 
mountain  queen.  What  if  the  treasury  were  de- 
pleted ?  Let  the  people  groan  beneath  the  most 
capricious  and  exorbitant  taxes  of  the  civilized 
world.  The  queen  must  be  happy.  What  if 
the  slaves  sank  by  the  score  ?  The  queen  must 
be  cool. 

It  was  now  a  lunar  month  since  the  omens 
had  proved  favorable,  and  the  work  had  been 
undertaken.  This  day  the  stupendous  fancy 
must  be  finished.  Obedient  to  the  decree  and 
prompt  to  the  hour,  overseers  were  withdrawing 
their  men,  and  squads  here  and  there  along  the 
terrace  were  planting  the  last  shrubs,  or  straight- 
ening the  last  full-grown  tree,  or  giving  an  ar- 
tistic and  natural  pose  to  some  jagged  boulder, 
wrenched  from  mountainous  cliffs,  and  brought 
down  the  river  for  many  a  mile  on  huge  rafts 
of  inflated  skins  or  pitched  reeds. 

The  king  was  particularly  morose  and  cross. 
Nothing  went  to  suit  him.  Allit  trembled  lest 
the  task  should  not  be  done.  The  captain  was 
very  uncomfortable  this  morning.  He  had  hur- 
ried from  the  house  of  Mutusa-ili  to  the  royal 
presence,  more  concerned  with  his  private  dis- 
tress than  with  public  affairs.  No  woman  had 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         219 

ever  before  delayed  to  drop  into  the  arms  of 
the  king's  captain,  if  she  had  the  opportunity. 
Allit  was  confounded  by  Lalitha.  He  could 
not  explain  her.  Was  it  possible  that  she  did 
not  love  him  ?  The  captain  could  think  of  no 
other  reason  for  her  extraordinary  hesitation  in 
responding  to  his  suit.  What  then  ?  Had  the 
pious  Jew  allured  her  fancy  ?  Yet  Allit  could 
not  cultivate  anger  with  Daniel.  Here  was 
the  second  mystery.  The  finer  side  of  his  na- 
ture revolted  from  a  low  jealousy  of  this  high 
soul.  That  seemed  to  Allit  like  making  a  spear- 
thrust  at  a  marble  god.  He  had  the  military 
temperament,  with  its  accompanying  sense  of 
honor.  When  he  had  said  to  Balatsu-usur,  "  I 
am  the  officer  of  thy  heart,"  the  captain  spoke 
with  prosaic  seriousness.  He  had  surrendered 
to  the  Jew.  He  felt  like  a  man  on  parole.  How 
could  he  seek  a  vulgar  vengeance  ?  That  were 
out  of  the  question,  for  that  were  dishonor. 

It  was  therefore  with  a  cordial  manner,  though 
with  some  constraint,  that  Allit  went  forth  to 
meet  Balatsu-usur,  who  had  followed  him  to  the 
hanging  gardens  by  some  half  hour's  delay. 
Both  young  men  looked  pale  and  worn ;  but  the 
Jew  had  the  air  of  a  tired  spirit ;  the  Babylo- 
nian of  a  worried  man. 

"  The  king  hath  the  temper  of  a  demon  this 
morning,"  said  Allit  at  once.  "  Thou  must 


220         THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

make  the  news  to  him.  I  have  no  mind  for 
the  venture.  He  would  have  tossed  two  slaves 
from  the  topmost  terrace  of  the  garden,  because 
the  flower-bed  thereon  was  not  completed  and 
trimmed  to  his  mind ;  but  I  constrained  him. 
Deal  thou  with  Nebuchadrezzar  touching  what 
we  have  witnessed." 

"  Hast  thou  broken  the  matter  to  the  queen  ?  " 
asked  Daniel  briefly. 

The  captain  shrugged  his  fine  shoulders. 
"  Does  a  man  turn  from  the  dove  to  the  vam- 
pire? "  he  cried,  in  a  tone  of  hot  disgust  so  un- 
mistakable that  it  was  well  for  his  curly  head 
Amytis  was  two  hundred  paces  above  him,  wind- 
ing her  way  to  the  top  of  the  gardens,  through 
bloom,  and  blush,  and  scent,  and  height,  and 
breeze,  and  moisture  that  wrought  upon  the 
senses  and  the  fancy  like  a  diviner's  spell.  Amy- 
tis was  hard  to  please ;  but  she  was  pleased. 
Nebuchadrezzar  had  wrought  a  miracle  for  his 
young  and  petulant  queen,  and  it  was  agreeable 
to  her.  Some  historians  have  held  that  he 
feared  her  fickleness,  and  would  spare  himself 
her  infidelity ;  and  the  result  was  the  mountain 
garden.  At  all  events,  Amytis  was  busy,  and 
had  for  the  time  being  no  interest  in  her  flirta- 
tions or  her  intrigues. 

While  the  two  young  men  stood  apart  together, 
a  slave  brought  imperious  summons  to  the  cap- 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         221 

tain  of  the  guards,  of  whom  the  king  had  imme- 
diate need. 

Daniel  passed  on  at  once,  and  up  the  winding 
stair.  He  overtook  the  queen  upon  the  fourth 
tier  of  the  garden.  She  was  bathing  in  a  per- 
fumed brook  that  trickled  the  full  length  of  the 
cool,  green,  alluring  arcade.  Mariamnu  held 
her  outer  robe.  Daniel  started  back.  Amytis 
laughed,  and  beckoned  him  to  approach.  Mari- 
amnu deftly  threw  the  golden  tissue  over  the 
brown,  bare  neck  of  the  queen.  The  Jew  obeyed 
the  royal  mandate  sternly  enough.  He  thought 
of  that  white  girl  — 

"  Why  so  grim  a  face,  governor  of  Babylon  ?  " 
cried  Amytis,  with  an  imperious  motion  of  her 
forefinger.  "  Have  you  no  smile  for  your  queen's 
gala  day  ?  At  the  least,  I  supposed  you  had  come 
to  wish  me  joy  of  my  mountain  garden." 

"  And  thus  I  have,"  returned  Daniel  politely 
enough.  "  Truly  the  king,  thy  lord,  hath  wrought 
a  marvel  in  thy  behalf  "  —  Here  the  courtier 
stopped ;  the  dreamer  in  him  seemed  to  float  up 
like  a  mist,  and  drown  his  beautiful  face ;  his 
eyes  closed ;  his  lips  moved  ;  he  stretched  his 
hands  out  with  a  blind  motion. 

"  Between  heaven  and  earth"  murmured  the 
seer,  —  "  a  doom,  between  heaven  and  earth  "  — 

"  What  say  you  ?  "  demanded  the  queen 
sharply.  She  stepped  from  the  brook,  and  held 


222          THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

out  her  small  bare  foot  for  Mariamnu  to  dry 
with  silken  towels.  She  was  absorbed  in  the 
brook  and  the  bath.  She  was  not  paying  much 
attention  to  the  Jew.  His  evident  distress  and 
embarrassment  scarcely  appealed  to  her.  He 
had  thus  time  to  recover  himself  from  his  short 
trance,  and  to  realize  his  position,  before  harm 
came  of  it. 

"  Your  pardon,  my  queen,"  said  the  governor 
of  Babylon  contritely.  "  I  am  not  well.  I 
stumble  in  my  words.  I  have  watched  all  night, 
and  for  that  came  I  to  have  speech  with  you. 
Mutusa-ili,  the  master,  lieth  dead  in  his  house." 

"  Ah !  "  said  Amytis,  putting  her  wet  foot 
down  hard,  and  crushing  a  cluster  of  red  Judean 
lilies.  "  So  the  old  man  is  dead,  is  he  ?  And 
the  daughter?" 

"  God  hath  preserved  her  out  of  the  snare  of 
the  fowler,"  said  the  Jew  gravely.  "  She  weep- 
eth  beside  her  dead  in  her  father's  house." 

"  She  escaped  from  the  harem,"  observed 
Amytis,  without  raising  her  narrow  eyes.  "  The 
king  will  be  in  a  rage.  He  is  so  cross,  lately, 
one  cannot  abide  him." 

Now  the  king  had  forgotten  Lalitha  in  an 
hour,  as  Amytis  knew,  and  Daniel  suspected. 

"  If  the  maiden  hath  no  foe  more  dangerous 
than  Nebuchadrezzar,  she  will  fare  well,"  ob- 
served Daniel,  in  a  lower  tone.  "  Nor  is  it  my 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         223 

intention  that  she  shall.  By  the  will  of  Mutusa- 
ili  I  am  become  the  guardian  of  the  maiden  and 
of  her  property." 

"  Is  it  possible  ?  "  interrupted  the  queen,  in 
unqueenly  curiosity.  "  Has  she  property  ?  " 

"  I  protect  it,"  replied  Daniel  firmly ;  "  and  I 
protect  her.  Thus  runneth  the  law  of  Babylon, 
which  I  both  serve  and  represent." 

The  queen  made  a  petulant  gesture.  She  was 
too  happy  that  morning  to  fly  into  a  fury ;  but 
still  she  was  ill  pleased.  She  flung  the  tissue 
higher  over  one  shoulder,  and  lower  on  the 
other ;  moving  her  long  neck  from  side  to  side 
impatiently. 

44  Come  yonder,  Mariamnu.  Let  us  away 
from  this  glum  fellow.  I  am  tired  of  the  mat- 
ter, sir  !  Everywhere,  it  is  that  girl  —  that  girl 
—  that  girl!  And  now  you"  .  .  . 

Amytis  glided  away  in  the  shrubbery  like  a 
beautiful  snake.  She  seemed  to  hiss  a  little  as 
she  moved.  Yet  she  admired  the  governor  of 
Babylon  immensely. 

The  Jew  went  up  to  the  topmost  tier  of  the 
mountain  garden,  alone,  and  anxiously.  He 
dreaded  to  break  the  news  to  the  king,  whose 
irritability  was  of  late  becoming  dangerous  to 
his  lower  subjects,  and  serious  to  the  higher. 
But  it  was  necessary  to  make  some  arrange- 
meiits  for  the  public  funeral  of  Mutusa-ili. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

SURGERY  was  not  an  accomplished  science  at 
the  court  of  Babylon ;  and  even  the  king,  who 
scorned  the  baser  superstitions  of  his  subjects, 
was  impatient  over  the  mummeries  performed 
upon  his  lacerated  leg. 

"  The  star  Marbuda  hath  passed  into  an 
eclipse,"  said  one  enterprising  and  comforting 
physician,  "  and  the  son  of  Marduk  is  involved 
in  the  tempest  of  the  elements.  Surely  thou  art 
joyful  that  thy  grievous  wound  doth  balance  the 
portents  of  the  heavens  ?  " 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it !  "  roared  the  king,  with  a 
grimace  of  pain.  "  Out  with  this  false  astrol- 
oger into  the  ditch  beyond  the  wall !  " 

"  Let  the  sacred  python  be  twined  around  his 
majestic  leg,  and  the  evil  spirit  will  slink  away," 
suggested  another  rash  practitioner,  after  an 
uncomfortable  diagnosis.  But  the  sacred  snake 
exhibited  an  unheard-of  friskiness  of  temper 
united  with  marked  disinclination  to  twine ;  so 
the  unlucky  prescriber  was  forced  to  spend 
several  days  soothing  (if  he  could)  the  sacred 
reptile. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         225 

Every  spirit  in  heaven  and  earth  was  implored 
to  ward  off  the  attack  of  the  seven  evil  spirits 
from  the  stricken  monarch, 

"  Seven  are  they,  seven  are  they. 
In  the  abyss  of  the  deep,  seven  are  they. 
Disturbers  of  thy  peace  are  they. 
Evil  are  they,  bnJef  ul  are  they." 

Thus  chanted  magicians  in  vain  exorcisms, 
burning  Arabian  spices  and  muttering  strange 
incantations  to  appease  the  torments  of  the  king. 
Amulets  were  of  no  avail,  for  the  wound  gaped, 
and  would  not  heal. 

But  worse  was  the  wound  upon  the  mind  of 
the  royal  patient.  Nebuchadrezzar  owed  his  life 
to  a  power  which  was  represented  by  an  un- 
fathomable quantity,  the  governor  of  Babylon. 
And  what  a  life  it  had  become !  Nebuchad- 
rezzar was  an  ardent  devotee  to  the  gods  of  his 
peculiar  choice.  As  the  shepherd  of  his  peo- 
ple, he  had  made  himself  the  religious  primate 
and  example  of  the  land.  He  had  manufac- 
tured gods  of  every  description,  and  worshiped 
them  promiscuously.  But  it  had  occurred  to 
him  that  jealousy  might  be  aroused  among  the 
divinities  if  he  coquetted  with  too  many  at  the 
same  time.  Therefore,  advising  his  subjects 
to  do  the  same,  he  gradually  confined  most 
of  his  attention  to  the  pet  deities  of  the  city 
of  his  restoration.  Who  worshiped  Bel-Mero- 


226          THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

dach  and  Nebo  more  devoutly  than  the  king  ? 
Who  was  more  loyal  to  the  traditions  of  his 
country  than  he  ?  His  father  had  recreated 
the  ancient  kingdom  of  Babylon  ;  and  he  had 
consolidated  it,  and  extended  it  by  the  power 
of  one  policy,  —  the  ecclesiastical.  He  united 
the  nation  by  humoring  its  whole  intricate  sys- 
tem of  worship.  Did  statesmanship  or  a  reli- 
gious conscience  govern  his  life  ?  Now  the  king 
was  not  dull,  and  he  had  noticed  that  when- 
ever he  had  invaded  Judea,  and  had  deported 
thousands  of  captives  to  Babylon,  he  had  en- 
countered an  invisible  power  which  force  of  arms 
could  not  subdue. 

Captives  from  Carchemish  or  from  far  Cilicia 
might  accept  the  deities  of  the  bewitching  and 
luxurious  capital ;  but  the  Jews,  as  a  race,  de- 
manded and  maintained  the  worship  of  a  God 
who  shamed  the  voluptuous  votaries  of  Ishtar, 
and  mocked  the  curling  frankincense  of  the  Zig- 
gurat  of  Bel.  The  one  God  Jehovah,  whom  the 
king,  with  his  usual  spirit  of  liberality,  at  first 
patronized,  and  then  tolerated,  had  become  the 
object  of  his  personal  respect.  What  was  at 
first  an  incident  in  politics  was  now  a  control- 
ling factor  that  demanded  recognition.  More 
than  once  he  had  come  up  against  this  Jewish 
Jehovah,  as  if  a  man  dashed  against  the  wall 
of  Imgur-Bel;  each  time  his  pride  received  a 
wound. 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         227 

There  was  that  dream  which  mocked  his  mem- 
ory till  it  maddened  him.  Then  it  mocked  the 
priests  whose  temples  he  had  built.  It  ruined 
his  chief  soothsayer,  the  president  of  his  uni- 
versity. What  magic  had  the  fates  evoked, 
when  Daniel  read  like  a  scroll  what  the  king's 
mind  had  clean  lost  ?  What  sorcery  saved  the 
priests,  and  compelled  the  monarch  to  humble 
himself  before  the  slave  ? 

These  thoughts  preyed  upon  the  king,  until 
he  grew  unbearable  to  gods  and  men.  At  mo- 
ments, his  brain  became  clotted  with  revenge 
against  a  force  which  he  could  neither  compre- 
hend nor  classify,  but  only  bitterly  admire. 
Daniel  had  inflicted  a  blow  upon  Nebuchadrez- 
zar's ecclesiastical  pride  which  the  building  of  a 
thousand  temples  could  not  efface.  Time  and 
again,  the  despot  would  have  given  his  captain 
the  order  to  strangle  the  governor  of  Babylonia, 
but  he  dared  not  arouse  the  only  divinity  that 
had  ever  awed  him. 

But  this,  though  enough,  was  not  all  that  ailed 
the  king.  Not  only  Merodach,  but  Nergal,  had 
forsaken  him.  For  the  first  time  in  his  life  he 
had  missed  his  aim  at  the  hunt,  and  the  victim 
had  become  the  victor.  Was  that  accursed  lion 
sent  by  Balatsu-usur's  god  ?  If  so,  to  what  po- 
litical end  ?  Nebuchadrezzar's  vaunted  prowess 
had  become  the  sport  of  the  whole  province. 


228         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

His  sacred  life  had  been  at  the  mercy  of  a 
beast  —  and  a  Jew.  The  disgrace  haunted  him, 
and  unnerved  him.  He  was,  in  short,  a  sick 
man.  Was  poison  from  the  lion's  claws  stealing 
into  his  vitals  ?  Unconsciously,  his  head  swayed 
monotonously,  like  a  wild  beast's  in  captivity. 

His  natural  moodiness  became  chronic  mo- 
roseness.  He  sought  solitude,  and  yet  thirsted 
for  society.  His  personal  cruelties  multiplied ; 
his  subjects  lived  in  terror  and  perplexity.  His 
officers  held  aloof  from  him.  His  women  shrank 
from  him.  His  queen  grew  cold  to  him.  Only 
Daniel  and  Allit  remained  in  faithful,  voluntary 
attendance  upon  him.  Threats  of  their  young 
lives  flew  over  their  heads  fifty  times  a  day; 
but  the  governor  and  the  captain  served  him 
with  a  persevering  and  courageous  quiet  which 
the  sick  monarch  respected,  as  madness  always 
respects  serene -courage,  and  feebleness  strength. 

The  condition  of  the  king  had,  unfortunately, 
been  emphasized  by  the  events  which  followed 
the  death  of  Mutusa-ili.  The  circumstances  of 
the  sage's  death  and  burial  had  created  an  un- 
lucky complication.  Babylon  rocked  with  ex- 
citement when  it  was  made  known  that  the  chief 
diviner  of  the  province,  the  most  distinguished 
of  living  Chaldean  soothsayers,  had  died  abjur- 
ing the  art  which  had  made  him  famous,  and 
the  religion  of  the  land  which  had  educated 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         229 

and  honored  him.  Mutusa-ili  had  not  lain  four 
hours  dead,  before  every  intelligent  man  in  the 
city  knew  that  the  master  of  her  great  univer- 
sity had  acknowledged  the  faith  of  the  captive 
race ;  willing  his  family  forever  to  the  faith  of 
the  Jew,  and  his  eminent  name  to  the  worship 
of  Jehovah,  —  an  uncultivated  god,  favored  by 
a  poor  lot,  who  amounted  to  so  little  that  they 
could  have  but  one. 

With  the  fickleness  and  forgetfulness  usual 
to  the  people  of  a  restless  nation,  Mutusa-ili's 
recent  downfall  at  court  seemed  to  slip  out  of 
mind.  No  one  said,  uHe  failed  to  interpret  the 
king's  dream.  We  disgraced  him  and  deserted 
him ;  "  but  only,  "  This  was  a  great  man.  He 
was  an  honor  to  Babylon.  He  was  a  Chaldee 
of  the  Chaldeans."  Half  of  Babylon  stopped 
there,  and  waived  his  religious  abjuration  as  the 
fantasy  of  a  stricken,  old,  unhappy,  dying  man ; 
these  called  for  a  great  public  funeral.  The 
other  half  cried  out  upon  them  and  upon  him. 
The  seer  had  apostatized.  The  royal  favorite 
had  descended  to  the  captive  creed.  Dishonor 
to  his  memory,  and  to  every  Babylonian  who 
honored  it ! 

In  the  university  of  Bel  the  excitement  cul- 
minated. The  students,  headed  by  Susa,  were 
in  a  ferment.  A  riot  in  the  classes  threatened 
to  become  a  rebellion.  The  boys  demanded  the 


230         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

ashes  of  their  great  master,  and  would  take  no 
less.  An  imposing  ceremony,  an  incineration  in 
the  court  of  the  university,  a  tremendous  occa- 
sion, —  nothing  else  was  to  be  thought  of. 

Susa,  followed  by  his  committee  of  arrange- 
ments, marched  boldly  to  the  palace,  and  re- 
quested as  much  of  the  king.  Now  this  young 
gentleman,  since  his  last  unlucky  appearance  in 
public  life,  had  remained  in  an  obscurity  which 
he  felt  to  be  unnatural  to  his  career.  A  dull  life, 
led  at  one's  scrolls,  aAd  over  one's  dusty  tablets 
of  science,  philology,  and  religion ;  tyrannized 
by  masters,  and  never  once  summoned  to  court, 
—  this  had  lasted  long  enough. 

A  brother  in  authority  had  his  disadvantages 
as  well  as  his  uses.  Allit  had  of  late  confined 
Susa  so  strictly  to  the  unimportant  sphere  of 
the  university  that  this  young  person  did  not 
feel  called  upon  to  take  the  captain  of  the 
guards  into  his  confidence  in  the  matter  of  the 
master's  funeral.  He  explained  to  the  boys 
that  this  was  unnecessary ;  he  himself  being  a 
favorite  of  the  king,  and  quite  competent  to  at- 
tend to  the  business. 

Now,  in  truth,  this  was  so  nearly  the  fact  of 
the  situation  that  Susa  met  with  a  better  chance 
than  he  deserved.  He  did,  indeed,  make  his 
way,  with  his  confident  air,  to  the  presence  of 
the  sullen  king ;  to  whom  he  presented  the  peti- 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         231 

tion  of  the  students  with  a  bright  assurance 
that  would  have  cost  him  his  curling  head,  if  it 
had  not  gained  him  his  case. 

The  king's  frown  blurred  into  the  first  smile 
seen  upon  his  haggard  face  for  many  a  dark 
day. 

"  Thou  art  young,"  he  said,  "  and  demandest 
of  the  king  as  the  young  lion  roareth  for  its 
food.  .  .  .  Thine  eye  is  bright,  and  wandereth 
to  and  fro.  Thou  hast  not  care.  Thou  knowest 
not  sorrow.  Thou  fearest  naught.  Nebuchad- 
rezzar doth  not  affright  thee.  .  .  .  Would  that 
I  were  young !  " 

"  Our  master  was  old,  and  we  honor  age," 
said  Susa,  with  the  adroitness  of  extreme  candor. 
"Give  us  our  way  in  behalf  of  our  dead.  I 
told  the  boys,"  added  Susa,  "  that  the  king  was 
always  kind  to  me.  They  would  think  I  lied  if 
we  could  not  have  the  funeral." 

The  king  looked  with  emotion  deeper  than  the 
case  called  for,  upon  the  lad.  He  repeated  the 
word,  "Kind?  Kind!"  He  could  not  remem- 
ber when  any  one  had  called  Nebuchadrezzar 
kind.  He  rose  suddenly,  to  conceal  the  signs  of 
tremulousness  upon  his  face. 

"Bury  thy  master  as  thou  wilt,"  he  said. 
"  It  shall  not  be  said  that  Nebuchadrezzar  faileth 
to  honor  his  dead  seer,  or  the  petition  of  his 
high-born  students.  Go  from  me,  and  see  thou 
to  it." 


232         THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

Thus  it  befell  that  the  sage  received  the  last 
courtesy  from  the  university  over  which  he  had 
presided.  The  body  of  Mutusa-ili  was  burned 
to  ashes  in  the  court  of  the  schools,  with  all  the 
mortuary  pomp  of  the  times.  It  had  been  em- 
balmed in  honey,  as  the  custom  went,  and  laid 
in  the  earthen  jar,  preparatory  to  its  last  dreary 
journey,  a  hundred  miles  through  the  hot  coun- 
try to  Erech,  the  common  cemetery  of  Babylon. 
The  remains  were  detained  by  order  of  the  king. 
A  public  funeral  of  the  largest  proportions  re- 
sulted. The  thousand  priests  who  had  failed  to 
tell  the  dream  came  from  their  thousand  altars 
to  do  honor  to  that  other  failure,  their  dead 
chief.  The  priest  from  Borsippa  said,  "After 
all,  he  was  but  one  of  us,"  and  the  successor 
of  the  priest  from  Zarpanit  shook  his  head, 
and  asked,  "  Can  you  tell  me  the  genealogy  of 
this  Jehovah,  to  whom  our  late  brother  apos- 
tatized?" 

At  that  moment,  Ina,  the  daughter  of  Egibi 
the  banker,  was  saying  to  her  father,  "  He  must 
be  a  very  common  god."  For  Egibi  was  at  the 
funeral.  All  the  world  was  at  the  funeral. 
Court  and  people,  throne  and  university,  did 
honor  to  the  dead  sage.  The  hired  mourners 
lost  their  usual  importance.  Egibi's  large  face 
was  of  a  dull  pallor.  But  he  did  not  arise  be- 
fore the  people,  and  join  the  wailing  friends. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         233 

The  treasurer  of  Babylon  did  not  say,  "  I  am  his 
brother."  Lalitha  and  Kisrinni  wept  apart  to- 
gether—  a  forlorn  little  family  to  lament  a  man 
—  until  the  governor  of  Babylon,  being  by  law 
the  guardian  of  the  girl,  stepped  out  with  torn 
garments  and  placed  himself,  as  a  mourner,  at 
her  side. 

So  Mutusa-ili  came  to  his  last  rest  in  the  uni- 
versity which  he  had  cherished  with  the  passion- 
ate devotion  of  a  scholarly  and  unworldly  man. 
While  the  body,  swathed  in  honey  and  spices 
and  sacred  oils,  was  burning,  the  students 
chanted  in  an  ancient  tongue  an  unfamiliar 
dirge.  When  the  urn  which  received  the  ashes 
was  lifted  upon  the  bier,  to  be  taken  before  the 
altar  in  the  temple  of  Bel,  and  thence  borne 
back  to  the  library  of  the  university,  where  it 
should  be  honored  for  time  and  times  and  a 
day,  Susa's  clear  young  voice  rose  above  the 
chorus  of  the  students  :  — 

Unto  his  rest, 
Hands  on  his  breast, 
Bear  him  apart. 
Flame  hath  his  heart, 
The  worm  and  the  rust 
Touch  not  his  dust. 
We  hold  his  name ; 
Earth  hath  his  fame. 

It  was  at  the  moment  when  the  chorus  re- 
peated, — 


234         TEE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

Keep  we  his  name  ; 
Give  earth  his  fame  ! 

and  the  boys  had  bent  to  the  bier  to  carry  it 
within  the  courts  of  the  temple  for  the  final  cere- 
monial, that  the  interruption  came  which  con- 
vulsed Babylon,  and  would  have  turned  the 
burial  into  a  riot,  had  it  come  from  any  other 
source  than  the  governor  of  the  province.  For 
Daniel  did  no  less  nor  more  than  step  forward, 
and  authoritatively  forbid  the  students  to  carry 
the  body  into  the  temple  of  Bel. 

"  These  ashes  go  not  within  the  idolatrous 
gates  of  Bit  Sagila,  the  Ziggurat  of  Merodach," 
he  said.  "  Bury  the  Jew  Methuselah  in  the 
faith  of  Jehovah,  the  living  God." 

The  effect  of  this  interference  was  intense. 
The  crowd  swayed  and  murmured.  The  thou- 
sand priests  muttered  together.  The  students 
protested  in  decorous  undertones.  The  seven 
colored  stages  of  the  insulted  temple  seemed  to 
glitter  malignantly,  then  to  frown  and  reel  a  lit- 
tle. By  virtue  of  the  law  and  for  decency's  sake, 
the  will  of  the  dead  man's  executor  was,  per- 
force, respected.  The  burial  procession  turned 
about,  and  reluctantly  deposited  the  urn  in  the 
library  of  the  university,  without  the  sanction  of 
Bel-Merodach.  It  was  a  tremendous  event. 

The  students,  with  the  superior  tolerance  of 
education,  made  the  best  of  it,  but  the  people 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         235 

made  the  worst.  Before  night,  the  city  was  in 
an  uproar,  —  these  clef  ending,  those  berating,  the 
whole  affair.  The  interment,  the  governor,  the 
king,  the  dead  man,  all  came  in  for  their  share 
of  popular  blame  or  approval.  Mutusa-ili,  who 
of  all  people  had  loved  and  required  peace,  be- 
came in  death  the  cause  of  a  popular  disturb- 
ance which  would  have  sorely  troubled  his  quiet 
spirit.  The  excitement  subsided  too  slowly,  too 
fiercely.  Nothing  could  have  happened  which 
would  have  presented  such  tests  to  the  unassail- 
able position  of  the  captive  governor  in  Babylon. 
But  the  sick  king  was  worried  by  the  matter, 
and  brooded  over  it  to  his  own  hurt. 

It  was  not  until  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day 
that  the  governor  and  the  captain  found  leisure 
to  discuss  the  events  which  were  shaking  the 
city.  They  met  in  the  pleasure-grounds  of  the 
king's  outer  garden  —  the  garden  bounded  by 
the  Shebil  canal.  The  sun  had  passed  far  into 
its  third  quarter  ;  the  shadows  were  long ;  the 
air  stirred  with  the  ghost  of  a  breath ;  it  was 
not  yet  night. 

Allit  was  much  moved  by  the  interment  of 
Mutusa-ili ;  he  had  been  allowed  to  pass  some 
moments  with  Lalitha  that  morning ;  he  experi- 
enced the  new,  sweet  sensation  of  grieving  in 
the  grief  of  her  in  whose  life  he  wished  to  live. 
He  felt  a  filial  tenderness  toward  the  dead  man 


236         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

which  astonished  the  soldier.  But  this  delicate 
sympathy  was  all  he  dared  offer  to  Lalitha  then. 
It  was  not  an  hour  for  love-making.  The  girl 
looked  at  him  through  a  wall  of  glass.  It  was 
the  wall  of  sorrow.  The  lover  could  not  pass  it, 
and  must  not  shatter  it.  He  had  to  content 
himself  with  tears  when  he  perished  for  kisses. 
Allit  had  never  been  denied  joy  before,  by  the 
pain  of  life.  It  seemed  to  him  very  unnatural. 
He  was  quite  puzzled.  Like  other  men  of  his 
sort,  he  turned  readily  from  the  private  perplex- 
ity to  public  affairs.  These,  at  least,  were  com- 
prehensible. Conversation  diverted  his  discom- 
fort, —  he  was  not  accustomed  to  being  uncom- 
fortable. 

He  watched  the  Jew  with  an  obviously  new 
expression,  in  which  respect  for  executive  ability 
was  added  to  spiritual  deference. 

"  Verily,  thou  art  the  master,"  he  said  heart- 
ily;  "  there  is  no  magician  in  Babylon  who  could 
do  thy  deed.  Thou  defiedst  the  religion  of  the 
nation  as  if  thou  gavedst  an  order  to  a  guardsman. 
I  looked  for  a  riot;  nay,  a  revolution  would 
not  astonish  me.  Behold,  the  people  growl 
at  thee  like  little  dogs ;  but  they  kiss  the  hand 
and  obey  thee.  Bel-Merodach  hath  received  an 
insult  from  thee ;  but  thy  head  is  as  firm  upon 
thy  shoulders  as  the  Ziggurat  upon  its  base. 
Thou  art  not  like  other  men !  " 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         237 

u  My  God  is  not  like  other  gods,"  replied 
Daniel  quietly.  "  That  is  the  explanation  of  the 
matter." 

"  Do  all  the  worshipers  of  thy  god  deeds  like 
thine  ?  "  inquired  the  Babylonian  shrewdly.  "  I 
have  known  many  a  Jew.  I  know  but  one 
Balatsu-usur." 

Daniel  was  silent.  The  two  men  paced  the 
length  of  the  path,  —  they  were  at  the  open  end, 
known  as  the  "green  end,"  of  the  gardfens, 
where  the  grass  was  most  abundant,  —  and  re- 
turned again  to  their  starting-point,  before  the 
careless  and  boisterous  soldier  put  to  the  saintly 
politician  the  abrupt  question,  — 

"  Where,  O  prince  of  Israel,  did  Mutusa-ili 
go?" 

"  To  the  bosom  of  Abraham,"  replied  Daniel 
promptly. 

This  answer  seemed  to  give  but  vague  theo- 
logical light  to  the  Babylonian,  who  knitted  his 
bronze  brows  like  a  boy  in  the  university  over 
his  first  translation.  "Tell  me,"  he  insisted, 
"  is  there  one  place  for  a  dead  Babylonian,  and 
another  for  a  dead  Jew?  Where  will  thy  breath1 
go,  —  to  the  west 2  or  to  the  east  ?  " 

"  As  there  is  but  one  God,  who  createth  and 
governeth  all  things,  so  is  there  but  one  Heaven 
and  one  Sheol,"  answered  Daniel  readily,  after 

1  Soul.          2  The  Babylonian  Hades  lay  in  the  west. 


238         THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

the  manner  of  the  law  of  his  people.  "  Who- 
soever forsaketh  idolatry  and  worsbipeth  the 
living  God  shall  abide  with  Him  in  the  latter 
day  ;  but  whither  he  who  cleaveth  to  his  sins 
shall  go,  whether  to  the  west  or  to  the  east, 
none  knoweth  but  the  iniquitous  dead,  nor  shall 
know  until  the  end  of  the  world.  The  will  of 
Jehovah  shall  be  done." 

"  From  all  accounts,  I  feel  an  interest  in  this 
Jelbvah,"  admitted  the  captain.  "  He  seems  to 
me  to  be  a  well-meaning  god.  I  think,  myself, 
a  god  shows  to  better  advantage,  not  to  go  hunt- 
ing, or  to  meddle  with  wine  and  women.  I  have 
no  objection  to  Jehovah.  Teach  thou  me  more 
of  his  worship.  I  understand  it  not,  but  I  find 
it  very  respectable." 

Allit  was  thinking  of  Lalitha,  though  he  did 
not  say  so.  By  the  will  of  her  father,  Lalitha 
was  now  an  acknowledged  Jewess  ;  and  must 
remain  so. 

The  Jewish  seer  looked  at  the  idolater  help- 
lessly. He  had  the  tact  not  to  say  how  impos- 
sible he  felt  it  to  explain  Almighty  God  to  a 
Babylonian  soldier.  He  proceeded  to  skirt  the 
outlines  of  the  subject  with  the  aptness  of  his 
race  for  religious  polemics.  The  Jews  were  the 
greatest  theologians  of  the  world. 

"  We  are  the  children  of  Adam,"  began  Dan- 
iel, "  who  was  created  of  God  in  Eden  "  — 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         239 

"  Ah,  yes,"  interrupted  Allit,  "  I  know  that 
story.  It  is  very  like  our  own.  There  are 
books  in  our  library  whose  antiquity  no  man 
knoweth.  Susa  showed  me  one  last  week, — 
the  lad  is  better  educated  than  I ;  I  was  put  to 
the  horse  too  early  to  study.  But  it  is  known, 
even  to  men  no  more  cultivated  than  I,  that  our 
Lady  Tiamat  brought  forth  the  first  deep,  when 
the  clouds  were  not,  and  in  the  earth  was  no 
seed ;  then  had  none  of  the  gods  come  forth. 
Is  thy  scroll  more  ancient  than  ours  ?  " 

Allit  struck  the  hilt  of  his  sword  with  the 
palm  of  his  left  hand,  repeatedly,  as  if  he  had 
made  a  great  point. 

"  Go  on,"  said  the  Jew  composedly. 

"  We  had  a  flood,"  continued  Allit,  "  in  our 
religion.  It  was  a  mighty  flood.  It  overspread 
the  world.  Xisuthros  was  saved  by  Bel,  and 
his  house  with  him,  upon  the  mountain  of  Nizir. 
Even  upon  the  mountain  of  Nizir  was  Xisuthros 
snatched  from  the  deep,  and  his  seed  after  him. 
I  have  been  told  that  thy  religion  relate th  a 
similar  freshet.  Now  how  can  there  be  two 
freshets  of  this  kind  ?  Tell  me,  learned  Jew." 

"  Say  on,"  said  Daniel  quietly. 

"  Our  Lady  Tiamat,"  proceeded  Allit,  "  hath 
been  called  in  some  of  our  tablets  the  4  Great 
Serpent.'  She  was  a  most  remarkable  goddess. 
Merodach,  the  brilliant  god,  did  battle  against 


240         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

her.  She,  it  is  well  known,  was  the  temptress 
of  mankind.  She  sat  behind  the  Tree  of  Life. 
On  one  side  of  her  was  the  man.  The  woman 
stood  upon  the  other.  Thus  were  the  man  and 
the  woman  tempted,  in  the  beginning  of  time. 
Every  Babylonian  knoweth  as  much  as  this. 
Yet  I  understand  that  the  worshiper  of  Jehovah 
worshipeth  a  tree,  a  man  and  a  woman,  and 
the  serpent,  who  did  tempt  both  the  woman  and 
the  man." 

"  What  else  ?  "  asked  Daniel. 

"  I  understand  not  how  these  things  can  be," 
urged  the  captain.  "  There  are  many  other 
difficulties,  but  I  am  not  a  scholar.  These  are 
all  I  can  think  of  at  this  moment.  What  makest 
thou  of  them,  Balatsu-usur  ?  " 

"  I  make  the  will  of  God  of  them,"  replied 
the  Jew,  without  embarrassment,  "  and  the  will 
of  God  no  man  may  understand." 

"  Perhaps  not,"  said  Allit,  with  a  troubled  air. 
"  But  I  play  not  with  the  matter.  I  desire  to 
understand.  Is  intelligent  man  a  foolish  fellow, 
that  Jehovah  should  not  respect  his  intellect? 
Is  thy  scroll  more  ancient  than  our  scroll?  I 
have  been  taught  that  our  religion  was  before 
the  first  Jew  was  born  into  the  world." 

"  If  thou  art  indeed  of  an  earnest  mind  to- 
ward these  matters,"  said  Daniel  more  gravely, 
"  then  will  the  living  God  meet  thee  earnestly. 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         241 

Religion  is  the  most  difficult  study  of  all  the 
world,  O  favorite  of  Nebuchadrezzar.  It  is 
not  to  be  struck  at,  as  thou  fleckest  the  horse 
with  thy  whip.  Know  thou  this,  and  rjespect 
the  knowledge :  In  the  childhood  of  the  world 
did  Jehovah  reveal  precious  truths  to  many  men. 
These  have  the  wanderings  of  men  scattered, 
and  their  sins  corrupted.  The  living  God  did 
breathe  into  the  clay,  and  the  first  man  was  be- 
gotten of  the  spirit.  Pass  me  thine  amulet ; 
nay,  do  not  blush.  I  know  that  thou  wearest 
the  spell  against  thy  heart,  beneath  thy  breast- 
plate. Behold  the  tree.  It  is  the  Tree  of  Life. 
Behold  the  woman.  She  is  the  Eve  of  the  Jew. 
Behold  the  man,  for  he  is  our  Adam.  Look 
upon  the  serpent.  Thou  callest  her  Lady  Tia- 
mat.  We  call  her  the  Devil,  for  God  hath 
named  her." 

"  I  begin  to  see,"  said  Allit,  brightening  a 
little  over  the  theological  dilemma.  "  You  call 
the  Lady  Tiamat  the  Devil.  Then  there  is  our 
Xisuthros.  You  call  him  "  — 

"  Noah,"  interrupted  the  Jew. 

"  And  we  have  the  mountain  Nizir.  You 
call  it "  - 

"  Ararat,"  said  Daniel  promptly.  "  It  is 
Ararat,"  he  added,  with  perfect  assurance. 

Allit  looked  puzzled.  "  Perhaps  so,"  he  sighed. 

"  Know  thou,:'  proceeded  Daniel  in  a  different 


242         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

tone,  "  that  the  living  God  gave  truth  to  man, 
and  man  corrupted  the  truth.  Unto  many  na- 
tions are  many  marvels  given  and  many  words 
related.  Even  as  the  relating  of  a  tale  goeth, 
captain  of  the  guards,  within  the  battalion,  many 
mouths  make  many  versions  thereof.  But  the 
tale  is  the  same  tale." 

"  There  is  some  sense  in  that,"  observed  Allit. 

"  Jehovah  is  the  living  God,"  urged  the  Jew. 
"  He  is  but  one,  and  the  nations  have  dealt  with 
him  even  as  they  have  with  the  writings  of  his 
people.  The  living  God  is  cut  apart  among 
many  •  men,  even  as  these  tales  are  distributed 
and  cut  to  pieces. 

"  I  deny  not,  nay,  I  urge,  that  it  be  remem- 
bered that  our  father  Abraham  came  out  of 
Chaldea,  in  the  times  before  the  times.  I  am 
an  instructed  man,  learned  in  the  lore  of  Chal- 
dea, as  I  am  in  the  law  of  my  people,  and  know 
I  not  that  it  was  given  to  our  father  Abraham 
to  know  the  religion  of  Chaldea  ?  Yea,  verily. 
But  it  was  given  unto  him  to  know  the  will  of 
the  living  God,  that  he  should  discern  between 
the  false  religion  and  the  true.  Thy  people 
have  lost  Jehovah  Our  people  have  kept  Him. 
The  idolater  knoweth  not  the  truth  when  he 
seeth  it,  but  the  Jew  hath  what  he  did  choose, 
for  God  is  with  him."  Daniel  paused,  but  pro- 
ceeded impressively  :  "  There  is  but  one  God. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         243 

He  existeth.  He  remaineth.  And  He  dwelleth 
in  the  judgments  of  men.  Worship  thou  Him. 
He  is  holy.  Be  thou  holy.  He  is  pure.  Purify 
thyself,  son  of  Babylon,  that  thou  mayst  be- 
come fit  fcr  the  service  of  Jehovah.  For  He  is 
a  jealous  God,  and  he  scorneth  the  worship  of 
an  evil  heart." 

"  If  the  maiden  will  look  upon  me,"  inter- 
rupted Allit  ingenuously,  "it  is  my  purpose  to 
wed  her." 

Daniel  smiled  gravely  at  this  practical  appli- 
cation of  his  theology.  It  might  be  worse,  in- 
deed !  Perhaps  his  proselyte  was  as  promising 
as  the  circumstances  permitted.  He  had  opened 
his  lips  to  reply  to  the  Babylonian,  when  Allit 
touched  him  on  the  arm,  and  pointed  across  the 
garden.  The  king  was  coming  toward  them,  and 
was  unattended.  * 

Daniel  was  a  little  sorry  that  their  conver- 
sation was  interrupted.  He  had  much  that  he 
would  have  said,  —  more,  perhaps,  than  the  at- 
tention of  the  soldier  would  have  borne.  The 
Jew  wished  to  explain  plainly  to  the  idolater  that 
the  writings  of  the  chosen  people  were  preserved 
with  more  ecclesiastical  fidelity  than  those  of  any 
other  nation  known  to  history  ;  that  his  had  been 
the  devout  people  of  history,  and  had  therefore 
saved  the  correct  records  with  supreme  success. 
He  wished  to  make  the  captain  understand 


244         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

something  of  the  superior  morality,  the  enthu- 
siastic piety,  and  the  sacred  patriotism  which 
had  wrought  out  of  the  Jewish  heart  the  finest 
proof  of  monotheism  possible  to  that  age  of  the 
world.  He  wished  to  say  .  .  .  But  the  king 
was  coming. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

NEBUCHADREZZAR  approached  slowly.  He 
moved  with  his  head  bent  and  body  bowed  a 
little  forward.  He  walked  with  difficulty,  limp- 
ing perceptibly.  His  brow  was  dark.  He 
opened  and  closed  his  lips,  and  moistened  them 
like  a  child  or  an  animal.  As  he  came  near,  it 
could  be  seen  that  he  muttered.  He  did  not 
raise  his  eyes. 

The  two  officers  awaited  the  king  with  an 
evident  discomfort.  The  civilian  was  the  more 
at  ease.  Neither  spoke  until  the  king  had  well- 
nigh  stumbled  over  them.  It  was  not  etiquette 
to  turn  the  face  from  royalty  ;  and  the  governor 
and  the  captain  were  already  backed  up  against 
the  wall  of  the  pleasure-ground  as  close  as  they 
could  get.  When  Nebuchadrezzar  was  within 
a  few  inches  of  them,  Daniel  begged  his  pardon 
in  a  firm  voice,  but  must  needs  call  his  atten- 
tion to  the  presence  of  his  servants.  The  king 
started,  and  stared  upon  his  favorites.  He  had 
a  lowering  look.  His  muttering  ceased  ;  but  no 
articulate  words  succeeded  it.  A  slight  wheez- 
ing sound  came  from  his  throat.  He  seemed  to 


246         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

make  an  effort  to  smile,  but  to  have  lost  the 
power  to  do  so.  His  lips  moved  grotesquely. 
The  upper  one  turned  back  above  the  teeth. 
He  watched  the  two  men  narrowly.  He  had  a 
suspicious  and  alarmed  air. 

"  My  lord  the  king  hath  an  illness  upon  him," 
ventured  the  captain  sympathetically.  "  Suffer 
thy  servant  to  lead  thee  within  the  palace,  or 
to  summon  the  physicians  to  thy  relief." 

The  king  turned  slowly  upon  his  heel,  and 
limped  away.  As  he  walked,  his  hands  hung 
down  straight  in  front  of  him.  This,  with  the 
increased  bowing  of  his  body,  gave  him  an  un- 
pleasant appearance.  His  figure  swayed  from 
side  to  side ;  it  looked  like  that  of  a  young  ani- 
mal learning  to  walk,  or  of  a  man  who  had  for- 
gotten how.  The  two  officers  followed  him  at 
a  respectful  and  perplexed  distance.  The  path 
down  which  the  three  were  moving  was  a  nar- 
row one,  and  edged  with  broad  spaces,  upon 
which  the  artificially  cultivated  and  irrigated 
grass  of  the  royal  garden  grew  richly. 

Grass  was  a  treasure  fit  for  a  king  in  Baby- 
lon. It  had  been  one  of  the  whims  of  Nebu- 
chadrezzar that  his  private  garden  should  make 
the  most  of  it.  Give  Amytis  her  mountain,  her 
trees,  her  brooks,  her  blossoms,  and  her  out-of- 
door  boudoirs,  but  to  the  king  a  severer  style 
of  landscape  gardening.  He  had  constructed 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         247 

plain  and  serious  expanses  touched  with  moss  and 
imported  rock  ;  he  liked  wild  flowers  and  tan- 
gles of  shrubbery,  and  little  mock  fields  of  grain. 
The  corner  of  the  garden  on  which  the  king  was 
walking  was  popularly  known  as  u  the  pasture." 
The  narrow  path  of  which  we  have  spoken 
shrank  to  a  foothold;  then  sank  into  short, 
thick  grass,  beaten  only  by  the  royal  tread.  A 
space  of  some  nine  hundred  feet  square  —  it  has 
been  estimated,  indeed,  at  twice  that  —  spread 
unbroken  beyond,  bounded  by  the  fortified  walls 
on  three  sides,  sloping  into  a  hedge  of  young 
forest  trees  upon  the  fourth.  This  hedge  was 
solidly  protected  behind  the  shrubbery  with  an 
invisible  grating  of  iron  and  of  brass  ;  it  was 
impossible  to  cross  it,  unless  one  were  a  supe- 
rior climber,  and  willing  to  drop  into  the  canal 
below,  for  the  sake  of  the  venture.  Upon  this 
field  the  grass  grew  abundantly.  It  was  irri- 
gated six  times  a  day.  One  or  two  fawns,  and 
a  lamb  favored  by  the  king  in  a  gentle  moment, 
cropped  the  grass  sparingly,  pains  being  taken 
that  they  should  be  too  well  fed  to  spoil  it ;  they 
were  there  only  for  the  pastoral  effect. 

Nebuchadrezzar  walked  down  the  pasture 
path  tottering.  His  officers  followed  him, 
stricken  with  inexplicable  alarm. 

"  It  is  a  sick  man,"  whispered  Allit.  "  He 
must  be  taken  care  of.  I  try  again,  if  so  be,  I 
may  withstand  him." 


248         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

He  pushed  by  Daniel,  and  li-ghtly  touched  the 
robe  of  the  king ;  as  he  did  this,  he  raised  his 
voice,  and  distinctly,  respectfully,  begged  the 
sovereign  to  make  known  to  him  the  nature  of 
his  physical  distress. 

"  I  would  relieve  thee,"  urged  Allit  with  real 
fondness.  "  I  would  not  witness  the  suffering 
of  my  king." 

Nebuchadrezzar  turned  and  looked  upon  his 
captain.  The  young  man  saw  that  look  in  his 
dreams  for  many  a  year  to  come  ;  for  the  like 
of  it  he  never  witnessed  before  or  after  ;  nor 
is  it  often  given  to  any  man  to  do  as  much. 
Physicians  attending  one  of  the  most  violent  of 
incurable  diseases  sometimes  meet  with  an  ap- 
pearance akin  to  it,  but  as  much  less  terrible 
than  this  as  mockery  is  less  than  reality.  Neb- 
uchadrezzar's eyes  narrowed.  His  upper  lip 
curled  again  from  off  his  long  teeth.  He  made 
a  darting  motion  toward  the  captain  with  one 
of  his  hanging  hands.  He  did  not  speak,  but 
he  did  worse.  He  set  his  teeth,  and  snarled 
upon  Allit  like  a  beast. 

"  It  is  a  madman  !  "  whispered  Daniel.  "  Go 
thou.  Go  quickly.  Call  the  queen  unto  him. 
I  remain.  I  fear  him  not.  Get  thou  the  queen 
hither,  and  delay  not,  for  his  life  —  or  ours  !  " 

Allit  saluted  and  departed.  The  royal  ma- 
niac and  the  intrepid  Jew  remained  together. 


THE  MASTER   OF  TEE  MAGICIANS.         249 

No  person  was  in  sight.  Not  a  guard  was  within 
hearing.  Daniel  realized  the  peril  of  his  po- 
sition imperfectly,  perhaps;  but  duty  always 
seemed  to  him  the  safest  thing  to  do.  He 
stepped  forward  quietly,  and  took  the  arm 
of  the  king.  Nebuchadrezzar  did  not  resent 
this  familiarity,  but  appeared  the  rather  to  be 
calmed  by  it.  The  two  paced  together  for  a  few 
turns  up  and  down  the  green  path,  and  over  the 
grass  of  the  mimic  field.  The  lamb  was  quietly 
nibbling  at  a  little  distance  ;  the  fawns  started, 
ran  into  the  shrubbery,  and  peeped  out  with  the 
pretty  coyness  of  half -tame  creatures.  The  king 
watched  them  wistfully. 

"  So  cool,"  he  muttered,  "  and  so  gentle. 
They  have  not  black  thoughts.  Their  hearts 
are  soft.  They  go  not  bowed  with  cares  of  state. 
Religion  teaseth  them  not.  Pleasant  things ! 
Call  me  hither  the  one  that  eats.  I  like  the 
one  that  eats  ;  for  his  food  is  gentle ;  peace 
must  be  in  his  blood." 

The  Jew  gave  no  answer.  He  had  made  a 
dreadful  discovery.  Alone  there,  with  the  ma- 
niac, unprotected  and  unprotecting,  he  experi- 
enced the  sudden  vertigo  which  preceded  his 
own  strange  physical  conditions.  His  trance,  call 
it  what  we  will,  whether  of  divine  interference 
or  of  human  disability,  whether  prophetic  or  hyp- 
notic, —  his  trance  was  coming  upon  him.  He 


250          THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

made  a  mighty  effort  to  wrestle  with  it ;  but  it 
closed  about  him  solemnly.  He  was  conscious 
that  the  king  drew  back  and  regarded  him  with 
displeasure ;  that  the  maniac's  voice  broke  into 
a  storm  of  wild  words  ;  that  he  glorified  him- 
self, Babylonia,  the  city,  the  province,  the  throne, 
the  temples  of  the  idols,  the  triumphs  of  war 
and  religion  ;  that  he  deified  himself  blasphe- 
mously. Then  strange  power  overshadowed  the 
Jew,  and  strange  words  fell  in  his  own  despite 
from  his  quivering  lips.  Whence  came  they  ? 
Who  sent  them  ?  For  his  own  will  gave  them 
not. 

"  Thou,  Nebuchadrezzar,  king  of  Babylon,  to 
thee  it  is  spoken :  the  kingdom  is  departed  from 
thee.  And  thou  shalt  be  driven  from  men,  and 
thy  dwelling  shall  be  with  the  beasts  of  the, 
field ;  thou  shalt  be  made  to  eat  grass  as  oxen, 
and  seven  times  shall  pass  over  thee ;  until  thou 
know  that  the  Most  High  ruleth  in  the  kingdom 
of  men,  and  giveth  it  to  whomsoever  he  will." 

As  the  seer  uttered  these  words,  the  king 
gave  a  piercing  cry.  His  tall  form  shrank  to- 
gether. He  sank  to  the  ground,  as  if  the  hand 
of  God  or  man  had  smitten  him,  and  lay  there 
groveling. 

Daniel,  who  came  as  suddenly  out  of  his  ab- 
normal conditions  as  into  them,  called  loudly  for 
help,  and  stooped  to  raise  the  king  to  his  feet. 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         251 

But  Nebuchadrezzar  resisted  the  effort  with  a 
savage  growl.  To  his  horror,  the  Jew  saw  his 
sovereign  drop  upon  his  hands  and  knees,  and 
crawl  out  into  the  field. 

When  Amytis  and  Allit  came  to  the  spot,  the 
king  of  Babylon  was  huddled  beside  the  lamb ; 
he  was  breaking  the  short  grass  with  his  teeth, 
as  the  animal  did.  The  lamb  observed  him  with 
pleasure.  The  fawns  came  out  of  their  hiding- 
places  and  approached  him.  Amytis  gave  one 
glance  at  the  hideous  sight ;  then  fled,  shriek- 
ing. 

There  is  a  disease  but  imperfectly  understood 
even  by  the  medical  science  of  our  own  day, 
and  unnamed  by  the  crude  skill  of  that  remote 
age.  It  is  one  of  the  most  terrible  known  to 
pathology.  The  physician  who  has  met  with 
one  case  of  it  is  fain  to  pray,  "  whatever  gods 
there  be,"  that  his  first  may  be  his  last.  It  im- 
poses peculiar  and  dreadful  strain  upon  the 
healer.  The  sympathy  is  tortured  by  it.  The 
nurse  sickens  of  it.  Friends  fail  before  it. 
The  dearest  and  nearest  of  soul  to  the  patient 
find  it  almost  impossible  to  separate  the  suffer- 
ing from  the  sufferer.  The  husband  loathes  the 
wife.  The  mother  shrinks  from  her  child.  The 
father  becomes  horrible  to  the  son.  Even  the 
brave  heart  of  a  truly  tender  woman  falters  be- 
fore this  trial,  and  the  bride,  who  would  have 


252         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

died  of  torture  for  her  lord,  pronounces  life 
worse  than  death  because  of  him.  She  extends 
with  repulsion  the  barest  necessities  of  human- 
ity, where  once  she  flung  her  being  away  in  the 
rapture  of  womanly  service.  Love  endureth  all 
things.  We  know  that  it  may  even  intensify 
under  almost  every  form  of  human  misery,  self- 
denial,  and  bodily  disillusion.  Before  this  dis- 
ease —  shall  we  say  that  it  must  be  doomed  ? 
According  not  only  to  its  nature,  but  to  its 
experience,  let  love  reply. 

Lycanthropy  is  a  form  of  madness  —  whether 
of  the  blood  or  of  the  brain,  or  both,  let  wiser 
than  these  narrators  of  an  ancient  love-tale 
testify  —  wherein  the  patient  believes  himself  to 
have  become  an  animal,  This  belief  gradually 
grows  from  hallucination  to  a  fixed  conscious- 
ness. The  periodic  mood  becomes  the  perma- 
nent conviction.  The  victim,  who  at  first  put 
his  delusion  on  and  off,  now  wears  it  as  a  body 
wears  a  coffin.  The  sweetest,  the  dearest  qual- 
ity goes  out  before  this  hideous  fate.  The  purest 
instinct,  the  most  delicate  habit,  the  most  ten- 
der emotion  of  the  spirit,  is  crushed  by  the  in- 
evitable march  of  the  disease.  The  animal  na- 
ture sets  itself  upon  the  human  nature,  like  the 
teeth  of  a  beast  in  flesh,  and  wrestles  there- 
with till  humanity  is  overcome.  Too  slowly  for 
the  palliation  of  the  victim's  torment,  the  low 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.    253 

life  kills  the  high.  The  last  fine  impulses  of 
a  godlike  race  yield  hard.  The  man  fights,  he 
knows  not  why,  before  he  becomes  a  brute.  His 
struggle  is  piteous  to  witness.  His  defeat  is 
worse,  because  it  makes  of  him  a  thing  which 
murders  pity.  Recovery  is  possible,  but  it  is 
rare.  Healing  may  exist,  but  it  is  without 
science  and  without  hope.  This  disease  differs 
from  the  more  familiar  form  of  rabies,  in  which 
the  virus  of  animal  anger,  being  introduced  into 
healthy  blood,  causes  violent  and  fatal  condi- 
tions. In  the  worse  fate  of  lycanthropy,  the 
miserable  man  may  not  hope  for  death.  Life 
holds  him  under  her  claws.  In  a  state  worse 
than  that  of  the  brute  whose  fate  he  assumes 
rather  than  simulates,  he  endures  his  doom  until 
its  laggard  end. 

Upon  Nebuchadrezzar,  the  great  king  of  the 
greatest  nation  in  the  world,  this  horrible  lot 
had  fallen.  The  royal  autocrat  had  become  the 
bestial  maniac.  Smitten  of  God  by  the  cruelest 
of  human  diseases,  he  went  out  from  the  natural 
conditions  of  human  life.  All  that  was  whole- 
some, sweet,  and  holy  in  character  succumbed 
to  the  brute  nature  that  had  been  —  shall  we 
say,  evolved  from,  or  superimposed  upon,  the 
royal  one  ?  His  desolate  fate  obeyed  its  own 
law.  Whence  did  it  come  ?  Did  tooth  or  claw 
do  the  deadly  mischief  ?  Did  the  spirit  of  the 


254    THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

wild  beast  demand  this  price  for  his  defeat  and 
his  life  ?  Or  did  the  wound,  working  on  a  sick- 
ened soul,  shock  some  sensitive  ganglion,  blur 
the  brain,  and  blot  the  man  ?  Who  shall  say  ? 

In  the  kingdom  of  Babylonia,  the  affliction 
of  the  king  was  regarded  with  ignorant,  almost 
brutal  horror.  He  was  the  condemned  of  heaven. 
He  was  the  sport  of  the  gods.  The  deity  of 
the  Jew  had  been  offended  with  him.  Jehovah 
had  spoken  unto  him  ;  he  had  cursed  him  with 
audible  curses.  Nebuchadrezzar  was  his  victim 
and  plaything.  The  country  was  threatened. 
The  throne  was  vacant.  The  people  shook.  It 
was  impossible  to  keep  the  hideous  secret.  The 
fable  of  a  fever  having  befallen  the  king,  which 
pacified  the  popular  curiosity  for  a  week  or  two, 
soon  gave  place  to  a  glimmer,  then  to  the  know- 
ledge, of  the  truth.  Their  king,  overcome  by  a 
fate  too  horrible  to  discuss,  was  driven  from  the 
daily  life  of  men.  In  an  incredibly  short  time, 
every  soul  in  Babylon  knew  that  Nebuchadrezzar 
was  closely  guarded  and  confined  in  "  the  pas- 
ture "  of  the  royal  gardens ;  where  he  lived,  pro- 
tected, loathed,  and  dreaded,  like  the  brute  he 
had  become. 

In  spite  of  his  tyrannies  and  cruelties,  Nebu- 
chadrezzar was  admired  by  his  people ;  in  a 
sense,  he  was  even  beloved.  Above  all  sover- 
eigns who  ever  filled  the  throne  of  Babylonia, 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         255 

he  fed  the  pride  of  the  province ;  between  pride 
and  a  certain  sort  of  affection,  the  line  is  too 
vague  for  most  men  to  define.  His  misfortune 
was  a  profound  grief  to  the  nation.  All  little 
matters  were  forgotten  in  the  great  public  ca- 
lamity. Private  gossip  became  too  unimportant 
to  cultivate.  The  death  and  apostasy  of  the 
distinguished  soothsayer,  the  fate  of  his  family, 
even  the  slight  displeasure  with  the  governor 
himself,  which  had  muttered  upon  the  lips  of 
the  people,  gave  way  to  the  emergency. 

The  nation  was  very  uncomfortable.  Not  the 
least  of  the  catastrophe  was  the  fact  that  the 
king's  disability  threw  the  regency  into  the 
hands  of  the  Median  queen.  There  was  one 
son  ;  but  he  was  a  lad  still  in  the  hands  of  his 
tutors,  not  yet  available  as  a  sovereign.  His 
mother  had  never  cared  for  the  child,  and  any 
attempt  at  that  time  to  make  use  of  him  as  a 
royal  figurehead  would  have  resulted,  probably, 
in  civil  war.  Not  a  soul  in  the  kingdom  loved 
Amytis;  few  trusted  her;  all  feared  her.  In 
their  calamity,  the  heart  of  the  people  turned  by 
instinct  to  one  man.  Before  the  king's  afflic- 
tion was  a  week  old,  Balatsu-usur  was  visited 
by  a  deputation  of  Babylonian  princes,  with  the 
formal  request  that  he  use  his  authority,  as  gov- 
ernor of  the  province,  in  sacred  trust  to  steer 
the  people  through  their  emergency,  to  the  full 


256         THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

extent  of  the  law.  Egibi,  the  banker  and  trea- 
surer of  the  kingdom,  headed  the  deputation. 

"  We  do  in  particular  feel  the  need  of  some 
trustworthy  intelligence  which  shall  have  a  de- 
sirable influence  upon  —  the  regent,"  observed 
the  state  treasurer,  with  a  significant  glance. 
"  It  has  occurred  to  us  that  thou  art  the  man." 

"  Ah,  yes,"  echoed  the  deputation,  "  thou  art 
the  man." 

The  Jew  accepted  the  trust,  as  he  did  all  other 
political  honors,  with  a  serenity  which  had  al- 
most the  aspect  of  indifference.  But,  in  his 
effort  to  fulfill  it  with  the  simple  loyalty  of  good 
morals  and  good  sense,  he  was,  of  course,  ex- 
ceptionally overborne  with  care.  In  his  occupa- 
tion with  public  affairs,  his  private  interests 
necessarily  yielded  a  little.  At  the  house  of  La- 
litha,  her  guardian  became  perforce,  for  the  time 
being,  a  less  frequent  visitor. 

Daniel  had  made  every  arrangement  for  the 
safety  and  decorum  of  the  girl's  manner  of  life. 
Desiring  another  inmate  of  her  family  beside  the 
fond  but  feeble  slave  woman,  he  had  made  some 
especial  effort  to  purchase  Mariamnu,  the  favor- 
ite of  the  queen,  that  she  might  become  compan- 
ion or  maid  to  Lalitha.  But  Mariamnu  had  too 
good  a  soprano  to  be  spared  from  court.  Amytis 
would  not  listen  to  it.  At  the  time  of  which  we 
speak,  Lalitha  was  still  living  alone  with  Kis- 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         257 

rinni  in  her  father's  house  ;  her  guardian  had 
not  as  yet  found  the  right  third  person  to  instate 
there,  and  he  would  run  no  risk  with  the  wrong. 
He  himself  visited  the  house  as  often  as  he  could ; 
but  continual  oversight  of  the  girl  became  tem- 
porarily impossible.  Lalitha  received  him  duti- 
fully, and  dreamed  of  him  enthusiastically.  But 
she  found  it  possible  to  live  —  even  to  grieve  and 
to  take  comfort  —  without  him.  The  captain  of 
the  guards  did  not  fail  to  perceive,  and  was  not 
slow  to  take  advantage  of,  this  fact.  In  propor- 
tion as  the  holy  man  became  less  necessary,  the 
human  lover  made  himself  more  so,  to  the  unob- 
servant girl.  Lalitha  did  not  reflect ;  she  felt. 
She  did  not  argue  with  fate ;  she  received  it. 
Daniel  was  adorable,  but  Allit  adored.  The 
governor  was  busy  ;  the  captain  was  there.  Allit 
had  never  undertaken  an  expedition  as  seriously 
or  as  shrewdly  as  he  organized  his  wooing.  Love 
developed  tact  in  the  soldier,  as  well  as  refine- 
ment. He  pursued  Lalitha  without  frightening 
her.  He  taught  her  to  confide  in  him  ;  she  be- 
gan to  need  him.  It  did  indeed  occur  to  Allit 
that  the  overworked  governor  trusted  him  ;  but 
it  did  not  once  occur  to  him  that  Daniel  did  so 
as  much  of  deliberate  purpose  as  of  necessity. 
The  only  important  stipulation  which  the  guard- 
ian of  the  girl  had  made,  in  regulating  the  little 
affairs  of  her  life,  required  that  she  receive  no 


258         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

visitor  without  the  presence  of  Kisrinni.  He 
made  no  exception  of  the  captain  in  the  enforce- 
ment of  this  rule. 

"  I  may  not  talk  with  thee  —  by  ourselves," 
said  Lalitha  prettily ;  "  my  lord  Balatsu-usur 
forbids  me." 

"  Art  thou  sorry  for  that  ?  "  asked  Allit,  in  a 
low  voice.  Lalitha  dropped  her  eyes. 

"  It  is  in  thy  power  to  deal  with  me  always  — 
by  ourselves,"  urged  the  captain. 

"  What  aileth  thee  ?  Why  what  aileth  thee  ?  " 
he  cried.  For  Lalitha's  delicate  frame  trem- 
bled so  that  it  was  as  much  as  the  man  of  many 
battles  could  do  to  command  his  own  great  feel- 
ing. It  moved  upon  him  like  an  army.  Oh,  to 
snatch  her  to  his  heart  and  hold  her  there,  un- 
til for  very  helpless  joy  she  ceased  to  fear  the 
power  she  loved ! 

"  I  will  revere  thy  faith,"  whispered  Allit 
tempestuously.  "  The  will  of  Mutusa-ili  will  I 
respect." 

"  I  may  not  wed  to  abandon  the  faith  of  my 
ancestors,"  pleaded  Lalitha ;  "  my  father  hath 
said  it.  That  makes  it  quite  impossible,  as  thou 
seest,  for  thee  —  for  me  —  for  us  —  we  may  not 
—  thou  must  not "  — 

"  We  may,  and  I  must !  "  insisted  Allit,  with 
his  military  air.  He  drew  himself  to  his  full, 
great  height.  Lalitha  looked  up  at  him  shyly. 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         259 

It  seemed  as  if  she  would  efface  herself  in  her 
own  sweet  fear.  It  would  have  been  hard  to  say 
which  of  them  was  more  enraptured. 

"  I  will  follow  thy  gods,"  said  the  captain 
gravely,  "if  that  be  all." 

Now  it  was  impossible  for  a  Babylonian  to 
concede  more  than  this  to  a  Jew,  or  a  man  to  a 
woman.  Lalitha  blushed  divinely.  She  tried 
to  whisper  a  few  words.  He  bent  to  understand 
them.  She  said,  — 

"  I  will  mention  the  matter  —  to  my  guardian." 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

NIGHT  was  coming  on  quickly ;  a  dark  one  for 
Babylon.  For  three  or  four  days  the  khamsin 
had  blown  balefully.  This  is  the  wind  known 
as  the  fiery  sirocco,  called  in  some  parts  of  As- 
syria the  sherghis,  —  a  dreaded  and  deadly  wind. 
It  came  from  the  south,  and  came  viciously 
enough,  laden  with  particles  of  scorching  sand, 
that  burnt  the  flesh,  and  smothered  the  breath, 
and  blinded  the  eyes.  Travelers  in  the  open 
country  fell  beneath  it,  from  sheer  exhaustion. 
Animals  panted  and  dropped.  Vegetation  with- 
ered. The  citizens  of  the  towns  shrank  within 
their  doors  ;  he  who  had  a  home  made  the  most 
of  it.  Slaves,  forced  to  continue  the  daily  rou- 
tine, died  at  their  tasks.  The  hot  sand  drove 
through  the  hotter  air  in  such  masses  as  to  ob- 
scure the  light  of  midday.  It  was  expected  to 
be  a  very  dark  night. 

Lalitha  came  to  her  door  to  see  how  dark 
it  was  growing.  She  was  tired  of  the  house. 
Everybody  was.  Neither  she  nor  the  slave 
woman  had  put  foot  in  the  street  for  four  days. 
Kisrinni  complained  that  they  were  out  of  bar- 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.    261 

ley,  and  she  must  needs  go  forth  to  renew  their 
supply  from  the  market,  which  opened  in  the 
evening  on  the  Street  of  the  Tamarisks. 

When  Lalitha  came  to  the  portico  to  examine 
the  weather,  she  found  that  the  khamsin  was 
subsiding. 

"  See,  Kisrinni !  "  she  cried,  with  the  quick 
spirits  of  youth.  "  Let  us  be  happy !  The 
khamsin  abateth.  I  see  three  persons  in  the 
street.  Thou  canst  venture  to  go  for  the  barley." 

"  The  khamsin  rageth  in  the  sky  after  it 
abateth  on  the  earth,"  said  Kisrinni  learnedly. 
"  It  will  be  a  dark  night,  little  mistress.  I  go, 
but  I  hasten  back  again.  Guard  thyself  till  my 
return." 

Lalitha  nodded  happily. 

"  I  watch  for  thee,"  she  said  affectionately. 
"  Thou  art  dear  to  me.  Thou  art  all  I  have." 

She  poured  her  young  tenderness  upon  the 
aged  creature, — a  precious  overflow ;  it  must  go 
somewhere. 

She  felt  a  little  lonely  that  night.  Nobody 
could  come  in.  Balatsu-usur  was  detained  by 
official  business,  and  there  was  a  banquet  at 
court.  This  meant  that  the  queen,  who  made 
the  most  of  the  arbitrary  power  of  the  regency, 
required  the  presence  of  Allit.  It  was  neces- 
sary to  be  very  fond  of  Kisrinni  in  default  of 
any  other  person. 


262         THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

So  Lalitha  stood  on  the  portico,  a  lovely 
shape,  wrapped  in  cool  tissues  that  tossed  in  the 
subsiding  khamsin  like  little  clouds  about  her. 
Her  robe  was  white,  confined  with  a  crimson 
scarf.  Her  black  hair  was  braided  closely  to  her 
small  head,  and  fastened  with  a  silver  dagger, 
whose  hilt  was  delicately  chased  and  set  with 
garnets.  She  wore  one  amulet  set  in  ancient 
silver,  bound  high  upon  her  round  arm  close  to 
the  shoulder;  it  was  a  Jewish  ornament  that 
her  father  liked.  Lalitha  opened  the  door,  and 
stood  on  the  threshold  to  snatch  the  first  breath 
of  relative  coolness  from  the  disturbed  air.  She 
did  not  feel  at  all  uneasy  at  being  alone.  One 
was  safe  at  home,  and  Kisrinni  was  never  gone 
long  enough  for  one  to  wonder  where  she  was. 

While  Lalitha  stood  at  the  door,  a  slave, 
wearing  the  royal  livery,  approached  the  house, 
and  courteously  inquired  for  the  daughter  of 
Mutusa-ili,  for  whom  he  bore,  he  said,  an  urgent 
message.  The  fellow  was  an  inferior  eunuch, 
a  mere  detective  or  messenger.  Lalitha  had 
never  seen  him.  She  listened  to  him  with  no 
more  than  the  vague,  general  objection  which 
any  association  with  the  court  excited  in  her. 

"  Comest  thou  from  Ashpenaz?"  she  inquired 
suspiciously. 

"Nay,  I  come  from  the  governor  of  Baby- 
lonia," replied  the  eunuch.  "I  am  but  the  mes- 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         263 

senger  of  thy  guardian.  He  requireth  thy  pre- 
sence on  important  affairs,  in  the  lesser  palace 
beyond  the  river.  I  bear  his  command  in  the 
writing  in  my  hand.  Behold  it." 

"  I  never  knew  my  lord  Balatsu-usur  to  ask 
me  to  come  to  him,"  hesitated  Lalitha,  exam- 
ining the  clay  tablet,  "but  this  is  indeed  his 
command.  Why  cometh  not  my  lord  to  visit 
his  ward,  according  to  his  custom  ?  " 

"  He  aileth,"  replied  the  messenger.  "  He  is 
sickened  of  the  khamsin,  and  may  not  leave  the 
palace.  He  desireth  thy  presence  as  speedily  as 
possible." 

"Oh,  sick!"  cried  Lalitha  tenderly.  "Is 
Balatsu-usur  sick  ?  I  come  at  once !  Kisrinni 
will  attend  me  in  a  moment." 

"  I  was  to  fetch  Kisrinni,"  answered  the  slave 
readily,  "  so  my  lord  commanded.  But  if  the 
slave  woman  were  not  at  hand,  the  governor 
bade  me  to  make  no  delay  for  her  coming.  The 
matter  is  an  urgent  one." 

Lalitha  looked  troubled,  but  she  closed  the 
house  door,  and  stepped  into  the  street.  It 
seemed  impossible  to  disobey  her  guardian,  and 
since  it  was  not  Ashpenaz,  why  fret  or  fear  ? 

"Let  me  see  the  seal,"  she  said  abruptly. 
"  The  governor  sealeth  his  commands  to  me  with 
the  seal  of  state.  I  am  acquainted  with  it." 

In  the  dim  light,  in  the  puffs  of  the  dying 


2G4          THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

wind,  and  with  the  blasts  of  sand  driving  into 
her  face,  she  examined  the  seal  that  stamped 
the  edge  of  the  tablet. 

"  It  is  broken,"  she  objected. 

"  Unhappily,  I  fell  on  my  way  hither,"  pro- 
tested the  eunuch,  "  and  the  clay  bruised  in  my 
hand.  I  was  blinded  by  the  khamsin  and  I  fell. 
.  .  .  But  thou  beholdest ;  it  is  the  great  seal  of 
the  province  of  Babylonia." 

"  Yes,"  admitted  Lalitha,  "  it  is  the  seal.  It 
is  the  seal  of  my  guardian.  How  sorry  I  am 
that  he  is  sick.  I  will  hasten  to  him !  But  I 
go  not  without  Kisrinni.  She  hath  but  gone  to 
buy  the  barley.  To  save  the  time  we  will  go  to 
meet  Kisrinni ;  her  errand  lieth  straight  upon 
our  way." 

Lalitha  veiled  herself  carefully  from  the 
khamsin,  and  stepped  out  into  the  darkening 
street.  But  they  did  not  meet  Kisrinni. 
Whether  the  old  woman  had  taken  another  way, 
or  had  not  left  the  bazaar,  or  whether,  in  the 
driving  of  the  sand  and  descending  of  the  dark, 
her  young  mistress  actually  passed  without  rec- 
ognizing her,  Lalitha  never  knew.  She  hurried 
along,  excited  and  oppressed  at  heart,  in  the 
whirling  twilight.  It  darkened  rapidly,  fear- 
fully. A  sudden  vicious  gust  of  the  perishing 
wind,  what  one  might  call  a  convulsion,  or  hys- 
terical rattle  in  its  throat,  tore  at  the  delicate 


THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         265 

draperies  of  the  girl,  and  wrapped  them  about 
and  about  her.  Her  veil  swathed  her  like  a 
mummy.  She  could  neither  see  where  she  was, 
nor  breathe  what  air  she  had.  She  swayed  upon 
her  light  feet  like  a  falling  top. 

"I  stifle!  "  she  cried.  "It  is  not  fit  weather 
for  a  girl  to  be  out.  I  thought  the  khamsin 
was  quite  over.  I  do  not  meet  Kisrinni.  .  .  . 
I  shall  go  home.  Take  me  home  at  once  !  " 

"  As  you  say,"  replied  the  eunuch,  with  an  air 
of  deferential  disappointment.  "  The  noble  gov- 
ernor is  sorely  indisposed,  but  I  obey  you ;  we 
will  return  at  once." 

"I  must  go  home!"  insisted  Lalitha.  "I  will 
explain  it  to  my  guardian.  I  must  find  Kisrinni 
to  attend  me." 

"As  you  say,"  repeated  the  eunuch.  They 
turned,  and  walked  for  some  time ;  the  eunuch 
preceding,  to  mark  the  way  for  her  as  the  gloom 
increased ;  the  girl  following  in  uncomfortable 
silence.  Lalitha  felt  ashamed  of  herself  for  her 
timidity,  and  reproached  herself  for  her  venture. 
She  was  torn  between  two  irreconcilable  views 
of  her  situation.  Unused  to  acting  or  deciding 
for  herself,  she  wavered  from  this  opinion  to 
that,  with  the  distressing  ease  of  quick,  undisci- 
plined minds.  Suddenly  she  stopped  short,  and 
cried  to  the  eunuch,  — • 

"  But  you  are  not  taking  me  home  !  " 


266         THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

"Nay,"  said  the  discordant  voice  of  a  third 
person,  who  had  stepped  out  from  the  now  fast- 
darkening  night  and  had  grasped  the  girl  by 
the  arm.  "  When  the  governor  commands,  a 
Babylonian  obeys.  I  will  relieve  my  messenger, 
and  myself  conduct  you  to  Balatsu-usur." 

When  Lalitha  recognized  the  voice  and  grasp 
of  Ashpenaz  —  it  was  too  dark  for  her  to  see  his 
face  —  she  did  not  shriek  nor  struggle.  She 
was  far  too  terrified.  A  dumb  horror  settled 
upon  her.  She  lifted  her  face  piteously  to  the 
chief  eunuch.  Her  large  eyes  widened,  and 
grew  filmy,  like  a  dying  bird's.  She  managed 
to  articulate  a  few  thick  words  :  — 

"  I  came  —  to  —  meet  —  Kisrinni.  It  was 
—  it  was  his  seal  "  — 

A  fierce  blast  from  the  sirocco  tore  up  from 
the  far  south,  and  beat  upon  her  cruelly.  The 
night  seemed  to  grow  hotter.  The  darkness  rose 
high  against  the  blurred  sky.  The  sand  grated 
between  her  teeth  and  burned  her  throat.  Her 
ears  rang  with  it,  —  they  were  filled  with  fire. 
Agony  struck  her  eyes,  —  their  lids  closed  upon 
flame.  She  felt  herself  tossed  to  and  fro  wildly. 
Gasping,  and  beating  out  her  hands  for  breath, 
she  fell,  half  the  victim  of  the  khamsin,  half  of 
fright,  but  wholly  helpless,  and  as  unconscious 
as  any  slave  lying  dead  of  the  sandstorm  with- 
out Imgur-Bel. 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         267 

"The  deed  will  be  easy  enough  now,"  said 
the  messenger  coolly  to  the  chief  eunuch.  "  She 
will  know  nothing  more  about  it.  ...  Verily, 
a  hard  job  had  I,  to  pacify  her  with  thy  clumsy 
seal.  She  must  needs  examine  the  forgery  like 
a  little  politician." 

They  lifted  the  girl  in  silence.  Ashpenaz  half 
hated  the  errand.  But  the  queen  had  become 
absolute  monarch  of  the  empire,  and  she  had 
trusted  him  with  her  vengeance  for  the  second 
time.  .  One  of  the  first  uses  which  Amytis  made 
of  public  power  was  this  dark  deed  in  gratifica- 
tion of  her  private  jealousy.  Ashpenaz  was  not 
the  person  to  hesitate  between  killing  or  dying. 

The  river  Euphrates  was  to  Babylon  the 
"  soul  of  the  land  "  in  the  same  vital  sense  that 
breath  is  the  "  soul  of  life."  This  river  divided 
the  capital  of  Nebuchadrezzar  into  two  triangles. 
Broad,  and  deep,  and  swift,  the  stream  shot 
through  the  city  as  through  an  open  sluice. 
Quays  were  built  of  burnt  bricks  cemented  with 
bitumen  ;  these  rose  to  the  height  of  fifty  feet  on 
each  side  of  the  river  bank,  thus  protecting  the 
city  from  the  terrible  rise  of  the  waters  at  the 
annual  inundation.  At  Hit,  an  eight  days'  jour- 
ney above  Babylon,  as  the  crow  flies,  the  aver- 
age width  of  the  Euphrates  is  about  one  fourth 
of  a  mile,  and  this  natural  engine  discharges  sev- 


268         THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

enty-three  thousand  cubic  feet  of  water  a  second. 
From  this  point,  the  overflow  begins.  Nebu- 
chadrezzar, realizing  that  the  soil  of  Babylonia 
could  never  support  its  enormous  population  un- 
less drenched  in  moisture,  persistently,  one  might 
say  passionately,  renewed  old  levees,  canals,  and 
water-courses,  and  dug  new  ones.  He  built  one 
canal  for  the  benefit  of  his  merchantmen  alone, 
that  was  seven  hundred  miles  long. 

The  surest  way  to  collect  unpaid  taxes  was  to 
cut  off  the  water  from  a  rebellious  locality.  A 
soil  teeming  with  food  thus  became  a  desert  in 
less  than  six  months'  time.  Starvation  stared 
at  the  people  whose  streams  were  confiscated. 
Water  was  more  sacred  than  Nebo,  and  its 
channels  were  in  a  better  state  of  repair  than  the 
temples  of  the  popular  god  Merodach.  From 
Sippara  to  Babylon  large  reservoirs  were  exca- 
vated to  catch  the  annual  overflow.  The  Nahar 
Malcha,  the  royal  canal,  interlocked  the  Euphra- 
tes with  the  Tigris.  As  we  have  seen,  great 
Babylon  herself  was  encased  in  a  moat  that  sur- 
rounded Imgur-Bel,  the  outer  wall.  This  was 
large  and  deep  enough  to  anchor  a  fleet.  Ca- 
nals intersected  the  city  like  streets.  Babylon 
was  the  Venice  of  antiquity. 

Now,  besides  the  brick  quays  which  guarded 
the  Euphrates,  two  walls  skirted  the  river,  af- 
fording additional  protection  from  an  invasion 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 


269 


therefrom,  and  following  the  stream  closely 
until  it  left  the  southern  ramparts  of  the  city 
to  water  the  plain  of  Doura.  The  tremendous 
engineering  feat  of  deflecting  the  course  of  the 
river  had  been  accomplished,  and  while  the  cap- 
tive current  filled  the  reservoir  at  Sippara,  its 
city  bed  had  been  paved  with  bricks  laid  in  pitch. 
This  helped  the  easy  flow  of  the  stream,  and  pre- 
vented the  natural  erosion  of  its  bed  and  a  con- 
sequent escape  from  the  embankments. 

Where  the  Euphrates  entered  the  double  city 
walls,  gratings  like  the  teeth  of  a  crocodile  were 
let  down  at  nightfall.  These  iron  incisors  re- 
plied to  any  strategic  movement  on  the  part  of 
an  ignorant  enemy.  After  sunset,  no  boat 
could  enter  the  city.  Neither  could  any  depart, 
for  at  the  river's  exit  southward  another  grating 
snapped  its  jaws,  and  the  city  slept  in  safety. 
Imgur-Bel  and  Nevitti-Bel  were  pierced  by  a 
hundred  gates  of  brass,  twenty-five  on  each  side 
of  the  square.  These  corresponded  to  the  num- 
ber of  streets  which  ran  parallel  and  gave  upon 
the  river.  As  each  street  approached  the  water, 
it  passed  through  the  two  walls  that  protected 
the  quays,  and  then  dipped  to  a  sloping  landing- 
place,  where  steps  descended  to  the  margin. 
There  were  the  ferries ;  boats  being  kept  ready  to 
convey  such  passengers  from  side  to  side  as  pre- 
ferred the  row  to  the  long  and  hot  walk  over  the 


270         THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

bridge.  But  here  also,  at  sunset,  a  brazen  port- 
cullis dropped.  At  none  of  the  twenty -five  land- 
ing-places was  entrance  or  egress  possible  after 
legal  hours.  The  gates  opened  only  to  the  king 
or  to  the  governor  of  the  province  of  Babylonia, 
or  to  order  of  their  official  seals.  Such  precau- 
tions will  not  seem  excessive  when  one  remem- 
bers the  bands  of  robbers,  organized  within  the 
very  city,  and  restless  for  prey.  A  sleepy  watch- 
man on  a  tower  gave  chance  for  any  amount  of 
mischief  threatening  from  the  other  side. 

The  river  had  a  swift,  powerful  current.  One 
of  the  worst  accidents  possible  to  a  Babylonian 
was  a  fall  into  the  stream  after  the  gates  were 
shut.  The  strongest  soldier  could  not  cling  like  a 
bat  to  perpendicular  brick.  If  he  was  not  drawn 
down  by  watchful  crocodiles,  he  was  impaled  on 
the  sharp  teeth  of  the  lowered  portcullis,  where 
the  current  leaped  from  its  confinement  to  a 
lazier,  broader,  freer  life. 

On  the  night  of  our  story,  the  keeper  of  the 
river  gate  guarding  the  Street  of  the  Setting- 
Sun  performed  the  most  treasonable  act  of  his 
life.  When  the  trumpet  sounded  at  sunset,  the 
order  to  release  the  gates  that  they  might  fall 
to  their  locks,  this  man  stood  irresolute,  peering 
from  the  top  of  the  stairway  down  the  dark 
street.  He  seemed  to  be  in  a  tremor  of  inde- 
cision. 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE   MAGICIANS.         271 

"  By  Nebo,  if  he  come  not  in  the  sixtieth  part 
of  a  period,  I  close  the  gate,  and  there  is  no 
opening  until  the  morrow !  " 

He  slowly  crept  down  the  steps,  growled  a 
curse  at  the  long,  black  snout  of  a  crocodile 
that  rested  on  the  lowest  step,  now  covered  with 
water,  and  took  his  place  in  a  recess  of  the 
wall,  with  his  hands  on  the  rude  wheel.  A 
round  boat,  built  of  reeds  and  pitch,  bobbed 
near  him  in  the  water.  It  was  tied  by  a  rope 
to  a  bronze  ring  ;  there  seemed  to  be  no  paddle 
in  the  boat.  The  gate-keeper  gave  a  vicious 
look  at  the  clumsy  •  craft.  He  muttered,  ill- 
naturedly,  — 

"  Ten  silver  shekels  will  be  a  fair  price  for  it. 
It  is  a  good  boat,  especially  when  it  is  bailed  out. 
I  think  it  fully  worth  twelve  shekels,  if  he  come 
not  on  the  moment." 

He  took  a  half  loaf  of  bread  from  a  brick  in 
the  recess,  and  cast  it  into  the  water.  "  Catch," 
he  said  sardonically,  "  and  haunt  me  no  more." 

The  aim  was  true.  The  bread  bounded  from 
the  mailed  head  of  the  saurian  into  the  black 
current.  The  monster  slipped  back,  and  noise- 
lessly disappeared  in  the  darkness. 

"  Hallo,  thou  keeper  of  the  gate  !  Light  thy 
torch,  lest  we  stumble  into  the  river !  " 

The  imperative  voice  of  the  chief  eunuch 
roused  the  guardsman  of  the  gate  from  his 


272         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

gloomy  hesitation.  He  hurried  up  the  slimy 
steps,  cringing. 

"  I  dare  not  light,  my  lord.  There  be  those 
who  might  discern  that  no  gate  is  down.  For 
that,  the  law  tosseth  the  gate-keeper  over  his 
lock.  What  have  we  here  ?  Another  ?  Verily, 
the  crocodile  hath  more  than  his  share  of  Baby- 
lon's pretty  girls." 

The  fellow  bent  over  Lalitha,  and  touched 
her  rudely.  The  girl  shrank  with  an  instinctive 
sigh  of  horror,  but  showed  no  other  sign  of  con- 
sciousness. Ashpenaz  uttered  an  uncomfortable 
exclamation. 

"  Do  you  want  three  bricks  and  a  bag  ? " 
asked  the  guardsman  stolidly.  Ashpenaz  did 
not  reply. 

"  It  is  the  usual  way,"  urged  the  gate-keeper. 
"  They  stay  down  best." 

The  chief  eunuch  was  trembling  visibly.  He 
was  not  man  enough  to  refuse  to  do  the  queen's 
deed,  or  to  perform  it.  He  beckoned  his  sub- 
ordinate with  shaking  finger. 

"  Go  thou,"  he  whispered  hoarsely ;  "  hasten 
to  Amytis.  Report  to  her  that  the  deed  is  done, 
upon  honor  of  this  ring  she  put  upon  my  finger. 
Return  it  unto  her  with  the  obeisance  of  her 
servant.  Thou  beholdest  the  girl.  I  toss  her 
to  her  death.  Go  thou,  and  report  that  thine 
eyes  have  seen  it." 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         273 

When  the  messenger  had  departed,  Ashpenaz 
lifted  Lalitha  from  the  wet  step.  His  arms 
shook  so  that  her  lifeless  body  fell  from  them. 
The  guardian  of  the  gate  caught  her,  and  the 
two  men  staggered,  with  chattering  teeth,  bear- 
ing their  burden  to  the  water's  edge.  Deeds 
like  this  were  common  enough  in  Babylon.  The 
gate-keeper  had  seen  his  share  in  his  time.  But 
the  agitation  of  the  eunuch  was  infectious. 

Ashpenaz  stooped  at  the  water's  edge,  and 
peered  around.  He  saw  the  rude  boat.  He 
kicked  it  with  one  foot ;  bent  over,  and  felt  of 
it ;  his  hand  touched  water  in  its  bottom.  While 
he  stood  examining  the  boat,  something  snapped 
at  his  foot.  He  felt  the  slight  grazing  of  teeth. 
A  long,  black  outline  turned  viciously  in  the 
water.  With  a  cry  of  horror,  the  eunuch  rushed 
up  the  step.  He  said,  "  No,  no,  no !  "  He 
repeated,  "  Horrible  !  Not  in  there !  Too 
horrible !  " 

A  blast  from  the  sirocco  struck  the  river  at 
that  moment,  and  the  two  men  covered  their 
heads  with  their  garments.  The  hot  sand  smote 
upon  Lalitha's  unveiled  face.  It  was  so  hot 
that  it  blistered  the  flesh. 

"  Raman  is  offended  with  me,"  groaned  Ash- 
penaz. "  He  flayeth  me  because  of  the  deed.  I 
dare  not !  I  dare  not !  ...  Is  the  boat  thine  ?  " 

The  gate-keeper  nodded  sourly.    He  was  tired 


274         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

of  the  business,  which  went  off  less  easily  than 
usual. 

"How  much?" 

"  Fifteen  shekels." 

"  Help  me  put  her  in." 

The  other  silently  obeyed.  Lalitha's  body 
fell  over  helplessly  against  the  side  of  the  crazy 
craft. 

"  She  will  upset  it ! "  cried  the  eunuch. 
"  Straighten  the  boat !  " 

"  It  is  only  a  question  of  time,"  replied  the 
accomplice  grimly,  but  he  balanced  the  boat. 
"  Shall  I  cast  off  the  rope  from  the  ring  ?  " 

Ashpenaz  nodded.  He  could  not  speak.  He 
turned  away  his  eyes. 

"  I  give  her  a  chance !  "  he  muttered. 

The  keeper  of  the  gate  threw  back  his  coarse 
head,  and  laughed. 

He  unfastened  the  rope  from  the  bronze  ring, 
and  threw  the  end  off.  It  fell  short  of  the  boat, 
and  splashed  into  the  water.  The  man  pulled 
an  old  boat-hook  from  a  niche  in  the  dripping 
wall,  and  gave  the  boat  a  shove.  It  tipped,  and 
took  in  water,  recovered  itself,  and  whirled  into 
mid-stream. 

Silently,  the  long  nose  of  the  crocodile  slipped 
into  the  water.  As  silently,  the  bronze  gate 
dropped  into  its  socket. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  first  realization  of  a  horrible  situation  is 
like  the  awakening  from  any  common  dream. 
One  regards  the  facts  for  the  moment  with  a 
kind  of  shuddering  curiosity;  divided  between 
wondering  how  long  the  delusion  will  last  and 
the  anguish  of  having  been  deluded.  When 
Lalitha  came  to  herself,  she  looked  about  her  at 
first,  with  no  more  than  the  agitation  which  she 
felt  at  finding  herself  in  her  own  little  room  at 
home  after  some  unusually  unpleasant  night- 
mare. She  raised  herself  on  one  elbow,  and 
gently  called,  — 

"  Kisrinni !  " 

The  slight  motion  tipped  the  round  boat.  It 
took  in  water,  and  righted  sullenly.  Then  the 
girl  sat  upright,  and  stared  at  her  hideous  sur- 
roundings. 

She  sat  in  several  inches  of  water,  in  what 
was  probably  the  maddest  craft  afloat  on  the 
Euphrates,  —  and  that  was  saying  a  good  deal. 
The  boat  had  swirled  into  the  middle  of  the 
stream,  and  was  now  driving  madly  down. 
There  was  no  paddle.  There  was  no  rudder. 


276         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

Lalitha  was  tossing  like  a  chip,  or  more  cor- 
rectly speaking,  like  a  ball,  upon  the  river. 
She  was  in  the  power  of  the  current.  Below 
her  the  black  torrent  made  a  sucking  sound. 
Far  above,  she  could  see  one  or  two  stars ;  these 
pierced  through  the  veil  of  dust  left  by  the 
khamsin.  It  was  very  dark ;  the  wind  was  still 
abroad,  and  puffed  upon  the  boat  irregularly, 
like  the  snarls  of  an  animal.  There  was  no 
other  boat  in  sight.  No  human  creature  was 
visible.  On  either  hand,  a  shadow,  black  as 
death  and  solid  as  the  tomb,  towered  above  her. 
Fifty  feet  of  sheer  brick  wall  shut  her  in.  She 
was  pitching  along  at  the  rate  of  three  or  four 
miles  an  hour.  Even  to  her  inexperienced  eyes 
the  boat  leaked  visibly.  Every  motion  threat- 
ened to  capsize  it.  Her  very  cries  made  the 
frail  thing  throb.  When  she  shrieked,  it 
seemed  as  if  the  reeds  would  start  apart,  as  if 
the  tremor  of  her  voice  would  plunge  her  into 
the  abyss. 

But  the  river  rang  and  rang  with  her  terrible 
cries.  The  opposite  walls  caught  her  young 
voice,  and  tossed  it  back  and  forth  from  side  to 
side.  The  brazen  gates  made  a  snatch  at  it,  as 
if  they  would  hold  it  for  sport ;  then  let  it  go, 
with  a  piteous  echo.  She  called  upon  Bel-Mero- 
dach  and  Jehovah,  Balatsu-usur  and  Allit,  Kis- 
rinni  and  the  chief  eunuch,  the  spirit  of  her 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         277 

father  and  the  mercy  of  the  queen,  —  the  guards, 
the  gatemen,  and  the  citizens.  Fifty  feet  above 
her,  in  the  blast  of  the  sirocco,  on  deserted 
walls,  and  after  river  hours,  who  should  reply  ? 
She  shrieked,  until  she  stopped  for  very  horror 
at  the  sound  of  her  own  solitary  and  agonized 
voice.  Then  she  fell  back  in  the  boat,  and 
looked  about  her  in  a  kind  of  stupor.  A  wave 
within  a  wave  moved  behind  her  relentlessly  in 
the  sinuous  current. 

"  It  is  a  fish,"  thought  Lalitha,  with  a  faint 
sense  of  relief.  She  did  not  feel  so  drearily 
alone.  It  occurred  to  her  to  put  her  hand  out 
and  touch  the  fish,  if  she  could;  but  the  boat 
tipped  to  the  edge,  and  she  shrank  back.  Sud- 
denly she  remembered  the  gates.  In  her  igno- 
rance of  the  outer  world,  she  had  the  vaguest 
idea  of  the  river  fortifications.  But  once  her 
father  had  taken  her  through  one  of  these 
brazen  gates  and  across  the  river  in  the  ferry. 

"  How  foolish  I  must  be !  "  said  the  girl  aloud. 
"Of  course  I  can  get  off  at  the  next  gate. 
There  were  steps  and  a  man." 

She  strained  her  eyes  for  a  sight  of  the  gate. 
She  peered  into  the  darkness ;  she  tried  to  push 
the  boat  up  against  the  bricks.  But  with  what  ? 
At  every  motion  the  mad  craft  shook.  She 
noticed  the  rope  which  dragged  behind  her. 
She  pulled  at  it  with  all  her  strength.  It 


278         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

seemed  to  have  caught  in  something.  As  she 
tugged,  the  hold  upon  the  rope  yielded,  and  she 
swirled  out  of  the  current.  A  long,  dim  shape 
rose  from  the  water  angrily,  dived,  and  disap- 
peared. When  Lalitha  saw  what  it  was,  she 
uttered  a  cry  that  might  have  pierced  to  the  top 
of  the  Ziggurat,  or  to  the  throne  of  Heaven. 

At  that  moment,  the  boat  shot  by  the  first 
gate.  The  poor  girl  had  wit  enough  left  to  per- 
ceive that  it  was  dropped  for  th&  night.  Un- 
guarded and  deserted,  the  brazen  surface  pre- 
sented an  impassable  front  to  the  current.  The 
boat  dashed  up  against  it,  and  whirled  away. 

In  an  age  when  the  simplest  incident  of  shel- 
tered life  suffices  for  a  tale,  the  perils  of  ruder 
times  have  a  certain  shock,  which  grates  upon 
the  ear  like  the  thunder  or  powder  of  a  noisy 
play.  It  is  well  to  remember  that  brutal  re- 
venge or  mortal  danger  in  its  grossest  form  was 
to  the  people  with  whom  our  narrative  deals  no 
more  than  the  daily  episode  of  the  street  or  of 
the  fireside  to  a  happier  civilization. 

Lalitha's  fate,  almost  too  ghastly  for  our  fas- 
tidious sympathy,  was,  in  fact,  perhaps  a  little 
more  ingenious,  but  no  more  dreadful  or  deadly, 
than  the  lot  of  hundreds  like  her  in  lands  and 
under  laws  where  womanhood  was  accepted 
prey,  and  helplessness  and  ignorance  stood  small 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         279 

chance  at  the  hands  of  social  or  civil  power. 
We  feel  it  to  be  our  privilege  to  shrink  from 
following  what  thousands  of  obscure  girls  en- 
dured. A  life  like  Lalitha's  might  go  out  like 
the  wick  of  a  little  candle,  any  night  in  Babylon, 
and  who  the  wiser  ?  It  might  be  quenched  in 
tortures  indescribable,  and  who  the  sadder  ? 

The  intelligence  reached  the  poor  child's 
friends  in  an  unexpected  way,  —  the  last 
against  which  the  queen  was  likely  to  provide, 
even  had  she  cared  to  take  the  trouble.  And 
why  should  she  ?  No  power  gainsaid  or  checked 
the  regent. 

There  was  a  banquet,  as  we  said,  at  court. 
Amytis  was  unusually  gay.  At  the  moment 
when  Lalitha  was  tossing  to  her  death,  the 
queen  raised  a  cup  of  wine  high  in  the  hot  air, 
and  pledged  the  captain  in  it,  laughing  lightly. 
She  had  beckoned  him  to  her  side  from  the 
lower  table,  where  he  sat  at  supper. 

"  I  give  thee  the  health  of  her  thy  heart  pre- 
ferreth,"  lisped  Amytis  languorously. 

Allit  put  the  goblet  to  his  lips  in  silence. 
Into  that  mad,  bad  scene  a  sacred  moment  en- 
tered. He  shut  himself  in  it  reverentially.  He 
did  not  look  at  Amytis.  She  was  half  drunken 
and  half  draped.  She  had  never  been  so  revolt- 
ing to  him.  How  had  he  ever  played  the  game 
of  light  love,  and  with  her  ? 


280    THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

He  set  the  goblet  slowly  down,  gravely  saluted 
the  queen,  and,  excusing  himself  as  soon  as  he 
could  without  discourtesy,  returned  to  his  own 
table.  It  was  the  custom  of  the  place  and  time, 
at  banquets  like  this,  to  seat  but  four  at  a  table, 
according  to  rank,  age,  and  other  affinities.  But 
etiquette  went  easily  at  court  since  Amytis  came 
into  power.  A  mad  carousal  suited  her  better 
than  a  decorous  entertainment.  Her  guests 
were  not  thoughtfully  seated,  and  Allit  had 
shared  with  Ina,  the  ^daughter  of  Egibi,  a  table 
occupied  by  two  courtiers,  a  man  and  a  woman 
of  high  position,  both  so  far  under  the  influence 
of  wine  that  Ina  had  already  withdrawn  from 
the  table  in  unbearable  discomfort. 

She  had  been  absent  from  the  banquet-hall  for 
perhaps  ten  minutes,  when  Allit,  returning  to  his 
seat,  observed  her  reenter.  The  expression  of 
her  face  arrested  his  attention  immediately,  and 
it  quickly  became  evident  that  she  desired  to 
attract  it. 

It  was  a  matter  of  plain  politeness  for  the 
captain  to  respond  to  the  summons  of  a  lady 
whom  he  had  attended  at  the  feast,  and  his 
crossing  the  hall  to  do  so  aroused  little  notice. 
Amytis  watched  his  mighty  'figure  with  dull 
eyes;  she  was  too  sodden  with  the  carousal  to 
feel  displeasure  or  express  curiosity. 

When  Allit  reached  the  side  of  Ina,  he  was 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS.        281 

shocked  at  her  appearance.  She  trembled  vio- 
lently, and  her  handsome  face  was  quite  pale. 
She  put  her  delicate  hand  upon  his  arm,  and 
whispered  close  to  his  ear :  — 

"  I  have  horrible  news.     Come  !  " 

Allit  followed  her  instantly.  Ina  was  very 
much  in  love  with  him,  but  she  did  not  pursue 
him.  He  obeyed  her  with  the  trust  a  man  feels 
in  any  woman  whom,  despite  a  little  coquetry, 
he  can  respect.  They  threaded  their  way 
quickly  through  the  lower  end  of  the  banquet- 
room,  and  came  into  the  outer  hall.  The  cur- 
tains swayed  and  fell.  The  great  blaze  of  the 
banquet  darkened  behind  them.  The  rude  laugh- 
ter, the  ruder  songs,  the  shrill  voices,  were  sud- 
denly muffled.  A  cooler  breath  replaced  the 
stifling  air.  In  the  outer  hall,  a  few  of  the 
young  nobility  and  titled  students,  who  had 
supped  by  themselves,  were  playing  at  dice. 
Some  servants  passed  in  and  out.  Allit  looked 
at  Ina  confusedly.  Then  he  perceived  that  Ma- 
riamnu  stood  there,  shrinking  against  the  long 
Persian  curtain. 

"  Tell  him  !  "  said  Ina  authoritatively.  She 
shook  the  captive  to  arouse  her.  Mariamnu 
seemed  half  dead  with  horror  or  with  terror, 
one  could  not  say  which  ;  perhaps  both. 

"  She  has  risked  her  life  to  tell  me,"  said  Ina 
contemptuously,  "and  now  she  is  as  dumb  as 


282         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

any  fool  in  Babylon.  She  hath  overheard  a  dread- 
ful plot.  How  can  I  tell  thee  ?  Oh,  what  shall 
I  do  ?  "  cried  Ina,  greatly  disturbed.  "  I  wish 
to  tell  thee,  and  I  tell  thee  not." 

"In  Jehovah's  name  !  "  whispered  Mariamnu, 
"  make  no  delay,  for  the  girl  is  in  the  river  by 
this  hour." 

Allit  uttered  a  startled  oath.  As  yet  he  com- 
prehended nothing,  but  feared  the  more  for  that. 

"Out  with  it,  women !  "  he  commanded,  with 
masculine  brutality. 

"  Lalitha  drowneth,"  said  Mariamnu,  in  her 
apathetic  way.  "By  the  order  of  Amytis, 
she"  — 

But  the  women  stood  looking  at  each  other 
blindly.  The  captain,  without  word  or  sound, 
teeth  set,  head  bent,  hand  on  hilt,  had  dashed 
from  the  palace. 

A  laughing  boy,  who  had  just  tossed  a  high 
number,  threw  down  his  dice,  left  the  group  of 
students,  and  followed  Allit.  Susa  never  lost  a 
chance  to  share  in  any  promising  excitement. 

Mariamnu  shrank  into  the  curtain  and  hid 
herself.  Ina,  greatly  agitated,  returned  to  the 
banquet-hall  to  seek  her  father.  She  dared  not 
tell  him.  She  had  done  the  only  thing  she  could 
think  of  for  her  cousin  Lalitha.  She  hoped 
Allit  would  like  her  for  it.  It  had  not  been 
wholly  easy  to  do. 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         283 

For  a  woman  madly  in  love,  voluntarily  to 
save  her  rival  for  her  lover's  sake,  was  not  a 
common  deed  in  Babylon.  There  was  the  fine 
blood  of  a  nobler  stock  in  the  daughter  of  Egibi. 
She  had  acted  with  impetuous  humanity,  which 
had  a  certain  reaction.  When  she  went  back, 
alone,  to  the  blinding  banquet-hall,  —  darker 
now  to  her  than  any  desolate  black  spot  on 
earth  wherein  she  might  have  heard  his  kindly, 
friendly,  indifferent  voice,  —  the  Babylonianized 
Jewess  had  one  moment  of  something  like  re- 
gret for  her  generosity.  But  it  passed  into  the 
higher  mood  which  found  itself  at  home  in  the 
nature  of  Ina.  Besides  —  besides  —  she  would 
not  have  been  a  woman,  had  she  not  remembered 
that  Lalitha  was  probably  dead  by  this  time. 
And  then  — 

Allit  bounded  into  the  night.  His  brain, 
stupefied  with  wine  and  horror,  had  scarcely 
the  power  to  command  his  feet  to  run.  With 
a  vacant  instinct,  the  captain  made  for  the  high 
quay  of  the  river.  Mechanically  he  plucked 
intoxicating  flowers  from  his  head  and  heart, 
and  cast  them  as  he  would  vipers  into  the  dust. 
Then  he  freed  himself  of  his  brilliant  outer  robe 
and  sash.  These  he  threw  away,  and  they 
struck  Susa  in  the  face,  behind  him. 

The  boy,  being  the  prize  runner  in  the  gymna- 


284         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

slum  of  the  university,  had  easily  overtaken  his 
clumsier  brother.  Susa  had  concluded  that 
Allit  was  wild  with  wine  ;  he  followed  him  con- 
scientiously. The  two  had  now  come  to  the  em- 
bankment that  frowned  above  the  river.  Its 
long  line  extended  like  the  black  curve  of  a 
serpent's  back ;  the  watch-towers  broke  the  out- 
line ;  the  gates  below  them  dropped  within  the 
masonry  of  the  walls,  piercing  the  quay  to  the 
water's  edge. 

Allit  stopped,  and  peered  stupidly  into  the 
water  fifty  feet  below  him.  The  hot  breath  of 
the  expiring  sirocco  stung  him ;  the  physical 
pain  where  the  sand-blast  hit  his  face  gave  him 
a  sense  of  relief ;  the  captain  knew  so  little  of 
mental  anguish  that  he  experienced  surprise  at 
this  fact.  Susa,  fearing  lest  Allit  were  about  to 
jump  into  the  whirlpool,  clung  to  his  arm,  en- 
treating some  explanation  of  the  situation  with 
boyish  persistence,  half  anger,  half  fright.  Al- 
lit looked  wildly  about  him.  He  managed  to 
articulate  a  few  sentences.  Susa  caught  the 
words :  — 

"  Lalitha  —  drowned." 

All  the  fashionable  oaths  of  the  university  of 
Bel  burst  from  the  lips  of  the  lad.  He  had 
come  out  for  a  frolic.  He  found  a  tragedy. 

"  Why,  follow  the  stream !  "  cried  Susa. 

Allit  obeyed  him  dully.     In  a  moment  the  lad 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         285 

had  become  the  leader.  The  wretched  lover  fol- 
lowed, plunging  on,  past  gate  after  gate  ;  now 
bending  his  head  to  one  side  to  listen,  now  run- 
ning too  sharply  on  the  edge  of  the  walls,  lean- 
ing too  far  over  the  turbid  river,  scanning  it 
with  his  trained,  keen,  military  eyes.  Gradu- 
ally his  furious  pace  slackened.  The  hopeless- 
ness of  the  situation  began  to  make  itself  evi- 
dent to  his  cooling  brain.  What  fool's  play  was 
this?  Would  glaring  at  the  Euphrates  restore 
the  dead  ?  The  courage  that  the  rush  inspired 
had  died  away  from  his  heart,  as  the  soul  dies 
out  of  the  body,  and  left  nothing  but  a  dizzy, 
despairing  mass  of  moving  clay. 

Allit  stopped  short.  He  was  above  the  gate 
of  the  Setting  Sun.  He  leaned  against  the 
closed  guard-house.  The  soldier's  legs  trembled 
beneath  him  like  a  deserter's.  Allit  was  indeed 
in  a  pitiable  state.  Hot  tears  burned  furrows 
in  his  dusty  cheeks.  He  dashed  them  away  from 
his  eyes,  and  groaned,  — 

"Lalitha!     Lalitha ! " 

It  occurred  to  him  to  plunge  into  the  water 
after  her.  He  had  never  before  understood  why 
people  do  such  things.  He  had  led  such  a 
happy  life.  How  strange  was  misery  ! 

"Hear!  Hush!  Hark!"  Susa  ran  up  to 
him.  "  Don't  you  hear  a  cry  below  us  ?  " 

Allit  held  his  breath.     At  that  moment  it  was 


286          THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

supremely  still.     Then  came  the  shriek.     Twice 

—  thrice  repeated,  the  sound  curdled  the  blood 
in  the  hearts  of  the  listeners.     It  was  a  woman's 
cry  of  mortal  agony. 

"  It  is  her  spirit.  It  howleth  in  the  night," 
whispered  Susa  superstitiously.  But  Allit  an- 
swered, with  a  mighty  cry,  — 

"  If  it  be  her  spirit,  or  her  body,  or  aught  of 
Lalitha,  I  follow  her  !  " 

He  dashed  into  the  darkness  and  disappeared. 
Above  one  gate,  past  two  gates,  making  a  peril- 
ous pace  upon  the  narrow  wall,  he  pushed  cra- 
zily.  What  was  the  speck  eddying  yonder  in  the 
water?  A  counter-current  brought  it  backward; 
it  approached  the  wall ;  it  swept  within  eyeshot. 
He  distinguished  a  round,  rude  boat  making  the 
sullen  motions  that  are  peculiar  to  water-logged 
crafts.  Was  it  empty? 

"  Lalitha  !  Lalitha  !  "  The  walls  and  the 
river  rang  to  the  musical  word.  Vaguely,  a 
shadow  within  a  shadow  stirred  below.  As  it 
did  so,  the  boat  tipped  and  struck  the  wall  with 
a  crackling  whir. 

"  Lalitha  !     Lalitha  !    Lalitha  !  " 

The  boat  made  a  vicious  plunge,  and  whirled 
away.  Fifty  feet  above  it,  Allit  looked  down 
the  perpendicular  wall.  Oh,  to  reach  the  gate, 

—  to   leap,  to  cling,  to   clamber,  to   snatch   at 
something,  to  get  within  sight  of  her,  touch  of 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         287 

her,  life  with  her,  death  with  her  !  But  the 
gate,  piercing  the  quay,  was  inaccessible.  Was 
he  a  lizard  that  he  could  crawl  down  a  straight, 
smooth  wall,  cemented  with  the  dreadful  skill  of 
Nebuchadrezzar?  The  boat  spun  madly,  and 
dashed  against  the  wall  again.  This  time  it 
struck  one  of  the  brazen  gates  that  guarded  the 
river  streets. 

"  Lalitha  ?  "  cried  Susa  for  the  first  time,  in 
his  unmistakable  treble.  "  Catch  the  gate,  if 
you  can,  and  hold  it !  " 

A  voice  came  back,  like  the  note  of  a  broken 
flute;  but  what  words  it  spoke,  if  any,  it  was 
impossible  to  tell. 

"  Ye  gods  !  Ye  gods  !  "  groaned  Allit. 
"  She  dieth.  I  cannot  open  the  gate.  I  cannot 
reach  the  maiden.  I  plunge.  I  die  with  her." 

He  had  thrown  himself  flat  upon  the  bricks ; 
his  head  hung  far  over  the  escarpment.  He 
implored  her  to  tie  the  boat  —  not  to  speak  — ^  to 
save  her  strength  —  to  do  something  —  anything 
—  he  knew  not  what.  He  would  save  her  — 
alas,  he  knew  not  how. 

Lalitha,  exhausted  beyond  further  endurance, 
tried  bravely  to  obey.  She  grasped  the  hot 
grating,  as  the  boat  shot  past.  What  could  her 
weak  arms  do  ?  Against  a  boat  heavy  with 
water,  and  a  current  mighty  as  death,  what  was 
the  muscle  of  a  girl  ?  She  clutched  for  a  mo- 


288         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

ment,  hoped,  and  held.  Then  the  skiff  twirled 
about  and  dashed  on.  Her  despairing  cry,  as 
she  swept  down  stream,  was  enough  to  break  a 
man's  heart. 

"  Balatsu-usur !  "  cried  Allit,  giving  Susa  a 
push  which  almost  thrust  him  from  the  wall. 
"  Haste  to  Balatsu-usur  !  Bring  him  hither 
upon  his  fleetest  horse !  Bid  him  to  the  lower 
gate,  with  the  keys  thereof !  " 

"  It  will  take  me  half  an  hour,"  groaned  Susa. 
"  Oh,  I  shall  be  too  late  !  "  But  he  obeyed  the 
hopeless  command,  bounding  through  the  dark- 
ness with  a  fine,  fleet,  sure  step. 

"  The  teeth  of  the  river's  mouth  will  gnaw  her 
to  pieces  before  we  are  done  with  our  Balatsu- 
usuring,"  moaned  Susa. 

But  if  it  gave  Allit  comfort  to  think  that  he 
was  doing  something  —  The  lad  was  very  fond 
of  Lalitha,  and  he  sobbed  as  he  ran  along. 

Allit,  alone  upon  the  quay,  followed  the  mo- 
tions of  the  boat  as  well  as  he  could.  He  called 
her  persistently  :  — 

"  Lalitha !     Lalitha  !  " 

It  seemed  to  be  all  there  was  to  say.  His 
voice  gave  her  a  certain  courage  ;  there  was  love 
enough  in  it  for  a  girl  to  die  by  gladly.  In  that 
supreme  moment,  Lalitha  felt  almost  as  much 
joy  as  horror. 

When  the  boat  came  within  sight  of  the  next 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         289 

gate,  half  a  mile  beyond  the  last,  Lalitha  pre- 
pared herself  for  her  last  chance  with  more  com- 
posure. She  came  whirling  up  to  it  madly 
enough.  She  flung  herself  against  the  bars  of 
bronze.  Each  hand  grasped  a  thick  rod.  Oh, 
wonder!  The  gate  trembled.  It  fluttered  be- 
neath her.  It  rose.  Allit's  tongue  clave  to  the 
roof  of  his  mouth.  He  could  not  articulate ;  he 
dared  not  move.  Whence  came  this  miracle? 
Susa  was  not  half-way  to  the  palace  by  this  time. 
It  was  impossible  to  have  reached  the  governor, 
to  whose  order  alone  (excepting  the  royal  seal) 
the  gate  unlocked.  The  great  gate  moved  silently 
through  its  grooves.  Lalitha's  white  form  rose 
slowly  from  the  boat.  Her  garments  clung  to 
her  limbs.  The  sinking  boat  swayed  out  into 
the  current;  as  her  feet  left  it,  Allit  heard  a 
horrible,  crunching  sound.  Amid  lashing  foam, 
the  boat,  crushed  like  an  eggshell,  was  drawn 
beneath  the  waters.  Still  the  gate  arose.  Lali- 
tha hung  down  straight  from  it.  Her  wet  robe 
stirred  heavily  in  the  wind.  She  clung  with  the 
last  power  that  desperation  gives.  Some  one 
spoke  to  her.  It  was  not  Allit.  She  felt  an 
arm  about  her,  —  not  her  lover's. 

"  It  is  my  father's  spirit,"  thought  the  girl. 
She  let  go,  and  knew  no  more. 

Allit  precipitated  himself  through  the  guard- 
house, and   down  the  steps   through  the   heart 


290          TEE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

of  the  wall,  to  the  gate  below.  All  the  doors 
that  he  had  vainly  tried  before,  were  unfastened. 
He  rushed  madly,  sword  in  hand,  and  emerged 
upon  the  steps  within  the  water-gate.  A  man 
stood  there,  bending  over  the  unconscious  girl. 

"  Hold !  "  cried  the  lover.  "  Stand  back,  on 
thy  life!" 

The  man  raised  himself.  He  had  a  strange 
expression,  —  half  pain,  half  ecstasy. 

"  Take  the  maiden,"  said  Daniel  gently,  "  and 
bear  her  to  a  safer  place  than  this ;  for  she  is 
thine." 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

DAWN  fell  gently  upon  the  royal  pleasure- 
grounds.  The  air  had  cooled.  The  khamsin 
was  over.  The  day  unfolded  like  an  oleander, 
in  petals  of  white  and  pearl.  The  perfume  of 
a  million  flowers  intoxicated  the  morning.  The 
freshly  watered  foliage  glittered  merrily.  The 
brilliant  birds  of  Babylonia  dipped,  and  rose, 
and  darted  busily ;  they  looked  like  the  blossoms 
of  air  plants.  They  sang  madly.  One  would 
have  said  that  Nature  gave  herself  trouble  to 
distinguish  a  spot  where  purity,  mercy,  gentle- 
ness, all  holy  deeds  and  peaceful  thoughts  abode  ; 
where  happiness  had  her  sanctification ;  where 
disease  and  misery,  hatred  and  hell,  could  no 
more  enter  than  the  scouts  of  a  conquered  enemy 
beyond  the  desert. 

In  the  "  pasture  "  of  Nebuchadrezzar's  gar- 
dens, a  desolate  king  groveled  before  the  sun- 
rise. The  maniac  had  slept  but  little ;  he  was 
at  best  a  poor  sleeper.  Perhaps  a  wiser  than  the 
medical  art  of  the  court  would  have  attributed 
certain  symptoms  at  the  outset  of  the  king's 
disease  to  his  prolonged  and  serious  insomnia. 


292          THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

He  lifted  his  gaunt  eyes  from  the  ground,  and 
regarded  the  gay  morning  with  a  kind  of  horror. 
Then  he  dropped  to  his  favorite  position,  and 
crawled  pitiably  about.  .  .  .  His  unshaven  face, 
his  unkempt  hands,  his  neglected  robe ;  above 
all,  the  shifting  expression  of  his  mouth,  half 
savage,  half  human,  now  settling  to  ferocity, 
now  appealing  timidly  for  the  care  and  sympathy 
which  the  science  of  the  times  denied  to  the 
alienated  intellect  —  these  are  things  to  dream 
of,  not  to  tell.  When  was  a  sovereign  so  abased  ? 
When  did  so  imperious  a  pride  undergo  such  ex- 
quisite humiliation  ?  Madly  contradictory  moods 
fell  upon  the  royal  maniac.  His  keepers  learned 
to  prepare  for  their  coming.  At  times,  he  fon- 
dled the  timid  creatures  who  had  been  suffered 
to  share  his  green  prison :  the  fawns  crept  to 
him  ;  the  lamb  nibbled  beside  him.  Then  came 
dark  hours ;  then,  what  wild  nature,  what  sav- 
age bestial  blood,  wrestled  within  him?  The 
gentle  animals  recognized  the  symptoms  of  these 
waves  of  cruelty  before  human  intelligence  per- 
ceived them.  When  they  fled,  quivering,  and 
remained  hidden  in  the  shrubbery,  the  guards 
redoubled  their  precautions,  taking  good  care 
to  keep  themselves  wellout  of  the  way.  It  was 
popularly  believed  that  a  scratch  or  a  bite  from 
the  unhappy  monarch  would  produce  a  fate  simi- 
lar to  his  own.  On  this  morning  of  which  we 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         293 

speak,  a  keeper  called  another,  with  quick  and 
agitated  cry :  — 

"  Look  !  By  Nergal,  look  yonder !  Nay,  but 
what  I  see  is  too  terrible  for  gods  or  men.  I 
look  no  more.  Take  thou  the  watch,  for  I  am 
sickened  of  the  business." 

The  first  guard  turned  his  back  to  the  mad- 
man, and  hid  his  face.  The  second  took  his 
place,  with  light  curiosity.  A  cry  of  horror 
escaped  him. 

"  Where  is  the  lamb  ?  "  he  whispered. 

The  royal  maniac  growled.  The  growl  had  a 
deep,  strange  sound,  like  an  unsuccessful  roar. 
Warm  blood  upon  the  grass  —  dripping  blood 
where  the  loathing  eye  refused  to  look  —  an- 
swered the  keeper's  question. 

In  the  hanging  gardens,  no  one  troubled  him- 
self about  what  went  on  in  the  king's  guarded 
grounds.  That  was  the  physician's  business, 
and  the  magician's.  Why  should  a  wife  be  un- 
comfortable ?  The  queen  troubled  herself  about 
nothing  that  morning.  She  was  abroad  early, 
in  spite  of  last  night's  carousal.  She  was  ex- 
ceptionally gay.  In  hot  summer,  she  adopted 
the  custom  of  the  Babylonians,  who  arose  be- 
fore the  sun  if  they  wished  to  have  any  day  at 
all  in  weather  when  the  thermometer,  if  they 
had  known  one,  might  have  registered  one  him- 


294         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

dred  and  twenty  in  the  shade.  It  may  have 
been  at  the  first  of  the  morning  watch,  or  not 
long  after,  when  the  queen  chose  to  saunter 
through  the  mountain  garden  to  refresh  herself 
for  the  day ;  when  cares  of  state  must  come  even 
to  Amytis,  and  the  light  nature  wear  for  a  few 
hours  the  weight  of  human  duty. 

The  gardens  were  well  watered,  and  dripped 
luxuriantly.  The  human  force  -  pumps  had 
worked  all  night.  Since  the  khamsin  fell  upon 
the  city,  the  carrying  of  water  had  not  been  suf- 
fered to  cease.  Relays  of  captives  took  the 
places  of  those  who  dropped.  Now,  all  signs 
of  toil  or  suffering  were  scrupulously  banished 
from  the  gay  scene.  The  last  gardener  had  de- 
parted. The  last  slave  had  done  his  last  toil  for 
some  hours  to  come  ;  until  the  approach  of  noon 
should  call  an  invisible  force  of  skilled  hands  to 
drop  the  awnings  that  shielded  the  more  delicate 
and  valuable  flowers  from  the  midday  fire. 

At  this  time  of  the  morning,  Amytis  amused 
herself  alone,  or  with  a  few  favored  slaves.  She 
dipped  through  artificial  dew  and  pollen,  bloom 
and  fountain,  like  one  of  the  butterflies  that  cir- 
cled above  her  small  head,  or  one  of  the  bright, 
cold  lizards  that  crept  about  her  feet.  She 
bathed,  she  ran,  she  sang,  and  curled  to  sleep, 
and  stirred  and  bathed  again.  Mariamnu  only 
attended  her.  The  queen  thought  of  last  night's 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         295 

events  apathetically.  Perhaps  she  did  not  re- 
member—  for  the  Median  wine  had  wrought 
well  upon  her  —  exactly  in  what  form  she  gave 
the  order.  The  girl  was  gone  this  time  ;  that 
was  enough.  Ashpenaz  swore  it  to  her  by  the 
ring  last  night ;  by  his  own  shaking  voice  he 
had  renewed  the  oath  this  morning.  The  queen 
had  dismissed  him  abruptly,  asking  no  ques- 
tions ;  he  looked  so  disagreeably  uncomfortable 
over  the  business.  At  all  events,  the  girl  was 
out  of  the  way  ;  Amytis  laughed  the  louder,  the 
day  was  the  fairer,  for  it.  And  now  ?  Ah, 
well,  and  now,  —  what  pretty  pleasure  next  ? 

u  I  would  behold  my  lord  Balatsu-usur,"  said 
Amytis,  after  a  few  moments  of  what  she  called 
thought.  Mariamnu  sent  the  summons  silently. 
The  captive  trembled  in  every  nerve  of  her  thin 
body.  She  knew  too  well  that  her  own  head 
sat  upon  her  shoulders  to-day  more  lightly  than 
the  calyx  of  any  flower  in  the  mountain  garden 
on  its  stalk.  She  robed  her  mistress  for  the 
visit  of  the  Jew  with  a  temporary  sense  of  pro- 
tection. 

Daniel  answered  the  command  leisurely.  His 
countenance  had  a  remote  expression.  One 
would  have  said  that  he  did  not  see  the  queen. 
He  did  not  speak,  but  awaited  her  order  in  a 
mute  scorn. 

"  I  have  sent  for  thee,"  began  Amytis,  coquet- 


296         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

tishly,  "  to  say  —  to  discuss  —  to  see  —  My  lord 
Balatsu-usur,  thou  art  not  in  a  tender  mood  to- 
ward me !  I  am  too  frivolous  a  woman.  Yet, 
indeed,  I  have  it  in  my  heart  to  do  some  service 
to  thee." 

Daniel  regarded  her  fixedly.  He  made  no 
reply  whatever. 

"  Come  to  me ! "  cried  the  queen.  He  obeyed 
her.  She  drew  his  ear  to  her  lips,  and  whis- 
pered a  few  words.  Her  round  arm  stole  about 
his  neck.  .  .  .  The  Jew  released  himself  with  a 
motion  more  like  that  of  an  offended  spirit  than 
a  tempted  man.  He  seemed  to  melt  away  from 
her,  as  if  her  touch  had  no  means  of  express- 
ing itself  to  his  sensation.  To  this  high  rejoin- 
der he  added  the  rebuke  of  continued,  scathing 
silence. 

"Thou  dost  not  understand  me!"  cried  the 
Median.  Burning  blushes  scorched  her  face. 
She  turned  her  back  upon  him  petulantly. 

But  Daniel  had  understood  her  perfectly. 
What  the  queen  had  offered  him  was  nothing 
less  than  the  utmost  —  the  full  of  political  au- 
thority, the  crest  of  human  glory,  the  vacant 
place  of  Nebuchadrezzar,  his  awful  power, — 
practically  his  empty  throne.  This  offer  was 
accompanied  with  one  soft  stipulation. 

Then,  without  hesitation  and  without  mercy, 
the  Jew  spoke  these  few  words :  — 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         297 

"Kather  would  I  be  cast  unarmed  into  the 
cage  of  the  lions  upon  the  plains  of  Doura. 
Rather  would  I  tread  the  furnace  of  fire  where 
the  convict  scorcheth."  .  .  .  Amytis  uttered  a 
little  cry  of  rage  and  shame.  The  Jew's  cold 
voice  went  on  above  her  ringing  ears :  "  Rather 
these  a  thousand  fold,  Amytis,  than  touch 
thee." 

When  the  queen  raised  her  abased  head,  Ba- 
latsu-usur  had  gone.  Mariainnu  stood  cowering 
at  a  distance,  by  the  scarlet  Judean  lilies  ;  she 
did  not  dare  approach,  or  raise  her  eyes. 

Neither  of  the  women  had  entirely  recovered 
herself  when  dashing  steps  crushed  the  shrub- 
bery, and  the  figure  of  an  unannounced  vis- 
itor burst  upon  the  privacy  of  the  garden  of 
ascents.  The  man  was  tall  and  mighty  of 
stature.  His  hanging  sword  caught  the  red  lil- 
ies and  tore  them,  as  he  rushed  into  the  presence 
of  the  queen.  When  Amytis  saw  who  it  was, 
her  heart  failed  within  her.  But  she  gathered 
herself  right  royally,  like  the  leopardess  she 
was,  and  haughtily  waved  the  intruder  away. 
He  paid  no  more  attention  to  her  gesture  than 
he  did  to  the  movement  of  a  brown  moth  that 
circled  over  him  and  brushed  his  helmet.  His 
manner,  even  more  than  his  look,  was  terrible 
to  Amytis.  She  melted  and  fawned,  the  tears 
started,  her  whole  being  seemed  to  creep  to 


298         THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

him  ;  she  remembered  how  fond  she  had  once 
been  of  him,  how  she  had  wished  for  his  fond- 
ness. It  seemed  to  her  as  if  she  should  die,  if 
he  spoke  —  as  he  would,  if  he  spoke  at  all.  She 
knew  in  an  instant  that  he  understood  every- 
thing. She  breathed  his  name  tenderly :  — 
.  "  Allit  1" 

His  large  lips  moved  as  if  he  would  answer 
her,  but  no  sound  came  through  them ;  they 
were  dry  and  clumsy  with  rage.  Amytis  ob- 
served that  the  soldier  made  no  obeisance  to  his 
queen.  She  understood  that  she  had  lost  her 
captain.  Allit  approached  her  with  simple 
human  fury.  Throne  and  crown,  power  and 
peril,  disappeared  from  his  consciousness.  His 
hatred  clawed  for  vengeance  within  him.  The 
man's  great  figure  broadened  and  heightened 
with  his  sense  of  mere  muscular  power.  He 
could  have  throttled  her  —  but,  after  all,  she 
was  a  woman. 

"Allit,"  she  repeated  softly,  "what  aileth 
thee,  Allit?" 

"  I  scorn  thee !  "  hissed  Allit. 

"Thou  art  mad,"  whispered  Amytis.  "  Thou 
hast  an  illness  ;  thy  brain  is  wild.  Seat  thyself 
among  my  flowers  and  cool  thy  blood.  See, 
we  are  alone.  Only  my  slave  is  present.  .  .  . 
Stand  farther,  Mariamnu.  Observe  not  my  lord 
the  captain,  for  he  is  seized  with  a  sudden  evil 


THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         299 

spirit.  Come  hither,  my  captain.  The  queen 
forgiveth  thy  wild  language.  Amytis  consid- 
ereth  thee  too  kindly  to  make  memory  of  thine 
offense.  Corile  to  me,  Allit,  come  ! " 

Amytis  half  hid  herself  in  blossoming  shrubs, 
and  timidly  held  out  her  brown,  bare  arms. 
Allit  did  not  see  that  they  trembled.  He  did 
not  divine  that  she  was  really  afraid  of  him. 
He  stared  at  the  queen  stupidly.  She  prattled 
like  a  dull  child ;  she  tossed  aimless  words  at 
his  awful  rage,  as  if  she  threw  withered  flowers 
at  a  shield  of  bronze.  He  could  not  understand 
how  she  could  be  so  imbecile.  The  narrow 
brain  of  Amytis,  dazed  by  folly  and  fright, 
seemed  unable  to  distinguish  anything  more 
than  the  waymarks  of  her  outworn  passion. 
She  took  the  feeble  course  of  an  intellectually 
inferior,  unprincipled  woman.  A  cleverer  or 
a  better  would  not  have  added  this  last  fuel  to 
his  loathing.  Her  manner  nauseated  Allit  out 
of  his  poor  feint  of  self-possession.  He  burst 
into  a  storm  of  terrible  words.  .  .  .  Amytis 
raised  herself  from  behind  the  foliage,  and  stood 
to  receive  them.  She  had  grown  very  pale  be- 
neath her  warm,  dark  coloring.  She  drew  her 
supple  form  to  its  best  proportions.  Framed 
by  a  yellow  acacia,  full  in  the  broad  sunburst, 
she  had  a  tawny  splendor  like  some  bright  ani- 
mal's. Even  at  that  moment,  Allit  could  not 


300         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

help  thinking  that  she  was  a  beautiful  creature. 
If  he  had  been  himself  a  more  thoughtful  man, 
he  might  have  wondered  if  she  had  more  than 
animal  conscience.  The  two  were  alone  upon 
the  topmost  tier  of  the  mountain  garden.  Only 
the  Hebrew  captive  was  witness  of  their  meet- 
ing. Mariamnu  had  turned  her  blanched  face 
away  from  the  scene,  which  she  found  no  less 
than  terrible,  yet  before  which  she  was  as  help- 
less as  the  lizard  in  the  lilies  at  her  feet.  Amy- 
tis  began  to  walk  backward  through  the  acacia 
bushes.  The  yellow  blossoms  closed  about  her. 
Allit  burst  into  them.  Then  the  queen  found 
her  voice. 

"  I  have  thy  head  for  this,"  she  said  collect- 
edly. "  I  have  endured  thine  insolence  too  long. 
The  queen  of  Babylonia  is  a  woman  —  like  a 
woman  she  hath  fallen  into  folly.  Like  a  woman 
she  hath  forborne.  Learn  thou,  though  late, 
that  she  is  also  a  queen.  The  death  agony  may 
teach  it  thee,  if  thou  art  teachable.  Look  thy 
last  upon  thy  last  sunrise,  Allit  Arioch.  See  ! 
Turn  thy  curling  head.  Come  hither.  For  the 
sake  of  what  was  once  between  us,  look  thy  last 
upon  earth  beside  Amytis  —  my  Allit." 

To  save  her  crown,  the  queen  could  not  have 
withheld  those  last  soft  words.  Allit  answered 
them  with  one  hard  enough  to  strangle  the  dying 
delusion  out  of  any  folly  in  Babylon. 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.    301 

"  Murderess  !  "  he  said,  and  said  it  over  ;  re- 
peated it  distinctly ;  dwelt  upon  it ;  dashed  it  at 
her ;  drew  his  breath  in  between  his  teeth,  and 
said  it  again.  The  acacia  had  closed  behind 
them.  The  thick  shrubbery  of  an  imported 
Persian  bush  with  a  scarlet  flower  grew  between 
them  and  the  wall,  whose  low  edge  skirted  that 
side  of  the  high  gardens  that  rose  perpendicu- 
larly from  the  reservoir.  Amytis  retreated  be- 
fore Allit  with  slow,  sinuous  steps.  He  followed 
her,  raging.  He  could  have  stamped  the  life 
out  of  her  —  but  she  was  a  woman.  The  soldier 
withheld  his  hand.  Yet  with  his  tongue  he  beat 
upon  her.  Her  threat  seemed  to  have  no  more 
effect  upon  him  than  the  little  thorns  of  the 
Persian  quince  that  pricked  him  as  they  swung 
against  his  cheek.  He  followed  her  with  a 
frightful  slowness.  She  caught  his  broken  sen- 
tences :  — 

"  My  wife  —  she  is  to  be  my  wife  —  I  wed 
with  her  —  and  thou  —  and  thou" —  Amytis 
uttered  a  low  exclamation.  He  clenched  his 
two  iron  hands  within  each  other  like  padlocks 
that  he  might  not  touch  her.  If  he  had  given 
himself  a  moment's  freedom,  he  would  have 
killed  her  before  she  could  have  cried  out  upon 
him.  What  he  said  he  never  knew.  Awful 
words  fell  from  his  hot  lips.  What  queen?  —  no 
woman  —  could  forgive.  Denunciation  blazed 


302         THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

upon  denunciation.  Scorn  hurled  after  scorn. 
Then  came  insults  —  the  worst  and  last. 

Amytis  had  retreated  steadily  before  him,  in 
who  knows  what  ?  terror  of  the  outraged  man. 
As  steadily,  Allit  followed.  The  Persian  bush, 
sending  forth  soothing  odors,  crackled  and  was 
crushed  beneath  his  heavy  feet.  The  thorns 
tore  her  soft  flesh.  Neither  saw  —  both  were 
too  blind  with  the  flash  of  the  scene  —  that  the 
queen  had  reached  the  limit  of  the  wall's  edge. 
Still  retreating,  she  swayed  before  him. 

"  And  you  missed  it,  after  all !  "  he  said  be- 
tween his  teeth.  "  Do  your  worst,  but  in  spite 
of  you,  this  night  I  wed  her." 

Amytis  started,  and  threw  out  one  arm  to 
steady  herself.  Her  beautiful  body  stood  high, 
for  one  hot  instant,  against  the  quivering  sky 
—  then  curved  —  her  robe  fell  —  and  she  top- 
pled. 

The  terrible  cry  which  tore  the  air  recalled 
the  soldier  to  his  senses.  He  unlocked  his 
hands  and  sprang  to  the  precipice,  holding  them 
out  to  snatch,  to  save.  He  looked  over  the  low 
parapet,  and  shrank  back ;  he  covered  his  eyes 
and  crouched  against  the  Persian  shrubo 

Mariamnu  stood  shrieking. 
"Have  silence,"  commanded   Allit  hoarsely. 
"  Thou   art   the   only   witness.     Thy   life    and 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         303 

mine  are  the  forfeit  of  this  morning's  work. 
There  is  a  moment  left.  Make  the  most  of  it," 
urged  Allit  dully.  "  Fly  while  thou  canst,  if 
thou  canst.  It  only  remaineth  for  me  to  do  the 
same.  I  did  not  do  the  deed,"  proceeded  the 
captain  argumentatively ;  he  looked  about  him 
with  bloodshot,  bewildered  eyes.  "  She  fell.  I 
touched  her  not.  She  fell.  Amytis  fell.  Look 
thou  over  the  wall  —  I  dare  not  —  for  she  fell." 

He  tore  through  the  crimson  quince,  pushed 
through  the  yellow  acacia,  crushed  the  Judean 
lilies,  dashed  down  the  path  and  down  the  steps. 
At  sight  of  the  first  guard,  he  recovered  himself. 
He  passed  them  all  with  the  ease  of  the  queen's 
favorite.  The  soldiers  saluted  their  superior 
officer.  He  reached  the  lowest  platform  of  the 
hanging  gardens,  and  walked  on  leisurely.  As 
he  went  by  the  king's  pasture,  Allit  paused  a 
moment.  The  keepers  also  saluted  profoundly. 

"  How  fares  the  king  ?  "  asked  the  captain  in 
what  he  thought  to  be  quite  a  natural  voice. 

"  As  the  beasts  of  the  jungle  fare,"  was  the 
significant  reply.  Allit  turned  his  white  face 
toward  the  sunny  field,  lifted  his  helmet  in  si- 
lent obeisance  to  his  sovereign,  and  passed  on. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

A  LITTLE  after  the  setting  of  the  sun,  a  cara- 
van of  merchants,  about  to  make  the  great  jour- 
ney across  the  desert,  left  Babylon  for  Tadmor, 
and  thence  by  way  of  Damascus  to  Tyre  and 
Sidon  or  Judea.  This  incident,  of  very  common 
occurrence,  attracted  less  than  usual  attention  on 
account  of  the  tremendous  public  excitement 
aroused  by  the  fate  of  Amytis  ;  and  a  group  of 
travelers  who  left  the  mansion  of  Egibi  found 
themselves  of  less  than  no  consequence  in  the 
general  uproar.  Foreign  visitors  at  the  resi- 
dence of  the  distinguished  banker  were  an 
every-day  affair:  traders  from  all  parts  of  the 
commercial  world  had  errands  there,  —  to  ex- 
ecute wills  and  deeds  before  a  hazardous  trip, 
to  exchange  their  stuffs  for  well-coined  silver 
shekels,  to  make  deposits  of  moneys  at  the 
bank,  to  receive  letters  of  introduction  and  of 
credit  needful  for  their  journey.  Why  observe 
the  commonplace,  well-to-do  merchant  who, 
with  his  family,  —  a  lad,  presumably  his  son, 
and  two  women  of  his  household,  —  took  leave 
of  Egibi,  and  with  the  usual  composure  of  his 


THE  MASTER   OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         305 

class,  motioned  his  servants  to  lead  the  camels 
nearer  ? 

The  tumult  in  the  city  was  in  no  wise  lessened 
by  the  fact  that  nobody  in  it  had  ever  loved 
Amytis.  She  was  their  queen.  The  throne 
was  once  again  empty.  What  was  to  be  done 
with  a  mad  king  and  a  dead  queen  ?  The  city 
of  the  Gate  of  God  was  on  fire  with  dismay. 
Between  Evil-Merodach,  the  boy  prince,  and  the 
throne,  nothing  visible  in  the  way  of  a  sovereign 
or  even  of  a  regent  now  intervened ;  and  this 
heir  of  the  pious  name  had  up  to  this  time  given 
no  particular  proofs  of  any  kind  of  aptness  for 
the  crown,  beyond  a  very  bad  temper  and  his 
father's  nose. 

At  all  events,  Amytis  was  dead,  —  murdered, 
it  seemed  past  a  doubt.  By  whom  and  to  what 
end  who  should  say  ?  Ashpenaz,  for  that  brief 
wild  day  ex  officio  ruler  of  Babylonia,  made  the 
most  of  his  short-lived  glory  to  stir  the  swirl  of 
events  to  their  dregs.  As  chief  of  the  royal 
eunuchs,  as  major-domo  of  the  palaces,  as  per- 
sonal guardian  of  the  queen,  it  was  the  duty  of 
Ashpenaz  to  circulate  a  theory  of  the  horrible 
accident.  His  own  life  would  none  too  slowly 
pay  the  price  of  his  neglect  or  of  his  dullness  if 
a  satisfactory  murderer  did  not  turn  up.  His 
personal  objections  to  the  captain  of  the  guards 


306         THE  MASTER    OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

were  several  and  serious,  the  testimony  was 
sufficient,  and  the  rest  followed  glibly.  Be- 
fore the  crimson  banner  on  the  Ziggurat  of  Bel 
told  the  hour  of  noon,  criers  were  patrolling  the 
city  throughout  its  vast  extent,  proclaiming  Allit 
Arioch,  captain  of  the  guards  of  our  lamented 
King  Nebuchadrezzar,  the  murderer  of  the  Me- 
dian queen.  The  enormous  price  of  two  talents 
of  gold  was  set  upon  the  curling  head  that  half 
the  beauties  of  Babylon  would  have  counted 
themselves  happy  to  caress.  Thus  were  laggard 
detectives  stimulated  into  enthusiasm.  Soldiers 
at  the  gates  were  doubled.  The  ferries  between 
the  east  city  and  the  west  city  were  watched. 
A  military  signal  of  alarm  ordered  the  hundred 
huge  brazen  gates  that  pierced  Imgur-Bel  to 
drop  in  their  bronze  grooves ;  they  opened  sul- 
lenly only  for  accredited  passengers,  and  snapped 
again.  Every  trap  was  set  for  the  fugitive. 
The  reluctant  witness  of  the  guards  at  the  moun- 
tain garden  was  enough  to  have  condemned  any 
man  in  Babylon  without  trial  or  reprieve.  Rank 
was  no  protection  against  the  doom  of  the  regi- 
cide ;  that  doom  was  too  hideous  for  the  pen  to 
dwell  upon.  Allit  had  been  seen  to  enter  the 
gardens,  unbidden  and  unannounced ;  after  a 
brief  interview  he  had  been  known  to  depart 
unchallenged ;  and  between  his  coming  and  his 
going  the  queen  had  met  her  fate.  The  watch- 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         307 

men  on  the  Yapur  Shapu  told  a  ghastly  tale. 
It  was  said  that  she  struck  once  in  falling,  and 
bounded  from  the  perpendicular  wall.  It  was 
rumored  that  she  was  mangled  before  she  hit 
the  great  reservoir,  whose  sluggish  current  mer- 
cifully received  and  clothed  the  pitiable  body  of 
the  daughter  of  Astyages.  Shrinking  slaves 
dragged  the  canal  for  a  few  recoiling  hours  ; 
and  then  they  found  her.  Before  the  throne 
which  she  had  disgraced,  and  the  averted  gaze 
of  the  people  whom  her  caprices  had  oppressed, 
the  Median  now  lay  for  an  hour  in  such  state  as 
death  and  compassion  allowed  her.  One  of  the 
most  appalling  rumors  of  the  day  was  to  the 
effect  that  the  death  of  the  queen  had  been  ob- 
served by  the  poor  maniac  in  the  walled  pasture. 
It  was  said  long  afterwards  that  the  shock  had 
profound  and  remarkable  effects  upon  the  king. 
There  were  not  wanting  opinions  that  this  men- 
tal concussion  was  not  wholly  injurious  to  the 
sufferer ;  and  one  very  aged  magician  claimed 
that  in  consequence  of  a  conjunction  of  certain 
stars  the  slow  restoration  of  the  royal  patient  to 
normal  health  had  on  that  dreadful  day  begun 
its  almost  imperceptible  course. 

But  the  queen  was  dead.  "  He  who  is  alive 
at  even  is  dead  the  next  day."  Thus  runs  the 
Babylonian  proverb.  The  evil  doer  was  travel- 
ing to  a  distant  land  which  cannot  be  seen, 


308         THE  MASTER    OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

while  her  former  favorite  was  hunted  down  like 
common  game.  Every  probable  hiding-place  in 
Babylon  was  searched  for  the  captain  of  the 
guards.  The  governor  of  the  province  even  of- 
fered his  own  palace  to  the  official  inspection  ; 
but  the  officer  of  ten  protested  that  it  was  im- 
possible to  extend  such  an  indignity  to  the  high- 
est civil  authority  of  the  city.  Was  not  Balatsu- 
usur  now  the  sole  hope  of  the  troubled  nation  ; 
its  moat,  its  ramparts,  and  its  shield  in  this  ter- 
rible crisis  ?  Yea,  verily.  The  officer  and  his 
men  saluted,  and  passed  on. 

It  was  some  hours  after  their  visit  to  Balatsu- 
usur's  palace  before  he  found  time  to  accompany 
a  guest  of  his,  a  portly  merchant,  to  the  banking 
firm  of  Egibi  and  Sons.  This  was  done  slowly, 
in  broad  noonlight,  and  with  perfect  assurance. 
Who  concerned  himself  with  the  guest  of  the 
governor  ?  Or  who,  indeed,  with  the  palace  of 
Egibi?  The  last  place  in  Babylon  which  the 
keenest  detective  wit  in  the  city  would  have 
thought  of  searching  for  the  condemned  captain 
was  the  home  of  the  treasurer  of  state. 

Into  that  gorgeous  house  —  the  most  sumptu- 
ous private  home,  probably,  then  in  the  known 
world  —  her  guardian  had,  in  fact,  removed  La- 
litha  immediately  after  her  rescue  from  the 
river  the  evening  before.  Allit  had  accompanied 
them,  in  a  tempest  of  love  and  rage,  which 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         309 

would  have  borne  down  the  reluctance  of  a  far 
less  good-natured  household  than  that  of  Egibi. 
In  short,  Lalitha  was  thrown,  on  the  impulse  of 
one  wild,  wise  moment,  upon  the  mercy  and 
hospitality  of  her  own  uncle ;  and  Egibi,  always 
a  generous  though  sometimes  a  politic  man,  did 
his  simple  duty  by  the  daughter  of  his  dead 
brother.  This  was  natural  enough ;  but  when 
the  tragedy  of  the  next  day  threw  two  more 
refugees  upon  the  favor  of  Egibi's  household 
gods,  and  when  Allit,  skulking  under  sentence 
of  ignoble  death,  demanded  an  immediate  mar- 
riage with  the  banker's  niece,  in  the  name  of 
love  and  flight  and  mortal  peril,  the  case  be- 
came complicated.  As  for  Mariamnu,  it  was 
simple  enough  to  shelter  a  slave.  But  a  con- 
demned officer  of  the  court  —  a  wedding  —  dis- 
guises —  a  flight,  —  these  things  were  not  within 
Egibi's  distinguished  experience.  The  distracted 
appearance  of  Susa,  wretchedly  hunting  for  his 
brother  at  the  banker's  door,  added  to  the  un- 
precedented perplexity  of  that  influential  man. 

"  By  Merodach,  verily,  here  's  another,"  said 
Egibi  to  his  daughter.  "  Are  we  to  sneak  all 
Babylon  under  our  roof  in  behalf  of  this  curly- 
pated  courtier  ?  Judge  thou  ;  for  I  am  awearied 
with  the  business." 

Then  Ina  cast  down  her  sad,  fine  eyes,  and 
remained  lost  in  thought  for  the  space  of  many 


310         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

minutes,  and  no  person  addressed  her.  When 
she  raised  them,  Allit  Arioch  knelt  before  her, 
silent  too.  And  he  looked  upon  Ina.  And  she 
began  to  tremble.  For  she  felt  in  her  soul  that 
his  eyes  commanded  her ;  that  whatsoever  he 
did  will  she  should  perform,  —  yea,  though  it 
were  to  speak  the  word  that  did  give  him  for  all 
time  to  the  arms  of  a  happier  woman  than  her- 
self;  for  Allit  was  lord  of  her  heart,  and  her 
nature  did  serve  him. 

"  Go  thou,"  she  said,  in  an  almost  inaudible 
and  most  touching  voice.  "  Go  thou.  Take 
my  cousin  Lalitha  to  her  own  country,  and  wed 
her  as  thy  heart  desireth.  My  father  and  I 
do  not  deny  the  shelter  due  our  kin,  nor  I  the 
courtesy  due  from  a  lady  to  an  old  friend." 

Thus  and  there,  that  day,  in  concealment 
and  haste  and  alarm,  was  Lalitha  wedded  to 
Allit,  who  took  her  from  the  hand  of  her  guar- 
dian, Balatsu-usur,  and  from  the  protection  of 
her  uncle's  house,  in  the  presence  of  her  cousin 
Ina  and  his  brother  Susa  ;  the  slaves  Mariamnu 
and  Kisrinni  witnessing.  The  ceremony  was 
completed  without  festivity,  but  with  all  possi- 
ble solemnity. 

The  Babylonians  honored  marriage,  in  spite 
of,  perhaps  because  of,  their  light  morals ;  and 
although  Allit  must  needs  wed  the  maiden,  so 
far  as  the  circumstances  permitted,  according  to 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.        311 

the  Jewish  customs,  yet  the  Babylonian  heart  of 
him  rejoiced  that  the  great  seal  of  the  city,  set 
by  the  governor,  signed  his  marriage  vow,  be- 
fore he  turned  his  life  forever  from  his  home 
and  from  his  country. 

Lalitha,  very  gentle,  very  sweet,  so  spent  with 
the  excitement  of  the  past  few  days  that  she 
looked  as  if  a  little  wind  would  waft  her  off  her 
feet,  gathered  her  color  and  her  courage  for  her 
marriage  hour,  and  lifted  to  Allit  the  pure, 
helpless,  and  adoring  eyes  that  make  a  man  of 
mighty  muscle  and  of  eager  deeds  a  woman's 
very  slave.  In  the  hurried  little  wedding  robe, 
over  which  Ina  had  generously  flung  the  jewels 
of  the  house  of  Egibi,  Lalitha  did  not  glitter, 
but  she  shone  softly.  Her  long,  loose  hair  half 
hid  her  face.  She  turned  toward  Allit  deli- 
cately, like  a  flower  stirring  on  its  stem.  Tears 
sprang  to  the  soldier's  eyes.  How  should  he 
handle  that  tender  life?  He  thought  of  the 
hard  journey,  the  desert,  exile,  the  founding  of 
a  strange  home  in  a  strange  land,  of  his  disgrace 
and  flight  and  social  ruin,  and  of  hardships 
which  her  gentle  experience  could  not  by  any 
possibility  present  to  her  imagination. 

"  Thou  wilt  regret !  "  whispered  the  chastened 
courtier  humbly.  "  Thou  wilt  think  coldly  of 
me  for  the  fate  thou  sharest  with  a  ruined  man." 

"  Where  thou  goest  I  will  go,  and  there  will 


312         THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

I  be  buried,"  said  Lalitha.  Her  voice  broke. 
She  could  not  think  of  anything  more  to  say. 
She  was  not  a  talker.  And  she  thought  it  must 
be  so  evident  to  anybody  that  she  was  the  happi- 
est, that  she  was  the  most  blessed  woman  in  the 
world.  Then  Allit  Arioch  fell  at  her  feet,  upon 
his  knees,  and  gave  to  the  Hebrew  marriage  an 
unexpectedly  Babylonian  turn.  For  the  power  of 
his  education  and  of  his  race  and  of  his  great 
love  was  strong  upon  him  ;  and  he  offered  to 
his  Jewish  wife  the  prayer  of  penitence  which  he 
had  been  used  to  utter  in  the  Ziggurat  to  the 
gray  god  Bel,  or  oftener  to  Ishtar,  the  Queen 
of  Babylonian  chivalry :  — 

' '  O  my  goddess  .  .  . 

O  my  goddess,  that  knowest  that  I  knew  not, 

My  transgression  is  great,  many  are  my  sins* 

The  sin  that  I  committed  I  knew  not. 

The  forbidden  thing  did  I  eat.  .  .  . 

God,  in  the  strength  of  his  heart,  has  overpowered  me. 

To  my  goddess,  who  knew,  though  I  knew  not,  I  make  sup- 
plication. 

My  transgressions  are  before  me,  may  thy  judgment  give  me 
life. 

May  thy  heart,  like  the  heart  of  the  mother  of  the  setting 
day,  to  its  place  return. 

The  feet  of  my  goddess  I  embrace. 
Peace  afterwards." 

Allit  had  scarcely  risen  from  his  knees,  when 
a  whisper  through  the  barred  door  of  the  bank- 
er's private  room,  where  the  marriage  party  had 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         313 

been  hastily  and  secretly  gathered,  announced 
the  arrival  of  the  camels  and  of  the  servants  of 
the  foreign  merchant  who  was  expected  to  leave 
the  house  of  Egibi  at  the  sunset  hour.  Egibi 
himself  responded  to  the  summons.  The  mer- 
chant was  a  friend  of  his,  and  received  the  es- 
pecial attention  of  his  presence  in  the  stir  of  de- 
parture. Allit,  successfully  disguised  by  the  loss 
of  his  fine  beard  and  the  traveling  costume  of  a 
middle-aged  man,  stepped  boldly  into  the  street, 
and  tested  the  harnesses  of  his  camels.  As  he 
stood  there,  a  crier  passed  by,  proclaiming,  — 

"  For  the  body  of  Allit  Arioch,  lohether  dead 
or  living,  two  talents !  Two  talents !  Two 
talents  !  " 

Egibi  saluted  the  crier.  Allit  imitated  his 
example  with  composure. 

As  the  two  men  stood  together  beside  the  tall 
white  camel,  they  exchanged  a  few  hasty  words. 

"  Thou  wilt  find  the  deposits  all  correct," 
said  the  banker.  "  The  sum  mounts  well.  The 
moaeys  and  the  bales  attend  thee." 

"  Hast  thou  accredited  all  my  properties  to 
thyself  ?  I  would  not  go  from  Babylon  in  thy 
debt.  It  hath  not  been  my  custom  to  be  in 
debt." 

"  Concern  thyself  not.  The  matter  is  quite 
satisfactory,"  replied  the  banker  prince,  with  a 
wave  of  his  opulent  hand.  "  I  have  accredited 


314          THE  MASTER  Of  THE  MAGICIANS. 

thine  affairs  and  the  maiden's  duly.  My  niece 
hath  a  sufficient  dowry.  If  I  took  the  liberty 
of  adding  unto  it  by  a  tithe  or  so,  who  gain- 
sayeth  me  ?  Am  I  not  brother  to  Mutusa-ili  ? 
May  Jehovah  rest  his  soul !  " 

"  And  thine  !  "  replied  Allit,  with  emotion. 
"  And  thine,  also,  Egibi." 

Egibi  turned  his  grave  face  toward  far,  in- 
visible Jerusalem  ;  he  made  no  reply. 

"I  have  feared,"  suggested  Allit,  "that  — 
under  the  circumstances  —  my  little  property 
would  be  confiscated  to  the  crown,  and  thou, 
therefore  " 

"  Trust  that  to  me,"  said  the  treasurer  of  state, 
with  a  shrewd  glance. 

"The  caravan  moveth,"  cried  the  driver  of 
camels  restlessly.  "  Thy  friend  will  be  late,  my 
lord  Egibi." 

In  the  sudden  haste  and  little  confusion  that 
fell  upon  the  banker's  household,  nothing  went 
exactly  as  it  was  expected  to  go.  When  the 
merchant  who  would  hasten  toward  Damascus 
was  well  upon  his  camel  with  his  son ;  his  women 
following  upon  another ;  the  goods,  the  servants, 
and  the  many  matters  of  the  journey  attended 
to  in  such  order  as  the  hurry  of  the  start  per- 
mitted, two  persons  stood  in  Egibi's  glittering 
rooms,  and  stared  at  each  other  in  a  kind  of 
stupefaction.  These  were  the  daughter  of  the 
banker  and  the  governor  of  Babylon. 


THE  MASTER    OF   THE  MAGICIANS.          315 

"Did  she  not  say  farewell  to  you?"  stam- 
mered Ina. 

"  Nay ;  I  heard  her  not." 

"  Nor  he  to  me !     Nor  he  to  me  !  " 

Ina  leaned  against  the  long  tapestry  of  heavy 
gold  embroidery  that  rattled  behind  her.  She 
hid  her  face.  But  Daniel  comforted  her. 

"  Farewells,"  he  said,  "  are  but  stabs  in  the 
heart.  There  be  wounds  enough  without  them. 
.  .  .  Nor  would  I  blame  the  maiden,  or  the 
youth,"  he  added  gently.  "  For  the  haste,  and 
the  disguise,  and  the  danger  thereof,  these  are 
serious  matters.  Pray  thou,  the  rather,  that 
they  escape,  and  God  go  with  them." 

But  Kisrinni,  prostrate  on  the  floor,  in  a  dark 
corner  of  the  splendid  room,  prayed  while  these 
were  talking  about  it.  The  old  slave  wept  si- 
lently, as  she  repeated  the  name  of  Beltis  sixty- 
five  times.  She  had  kissed  her  mistress  good-by, 
before  the  wedding,  to  make  sure  of  it.  They 
thought  she  was  too  old  to  take  the  journey. 
She  had  no  price  set  upon  her  head,  like  Mari- 
amnu.  And  probably  the  lady  Ina  would  feed 
her  well. 

"  But  how  can  they  pass  the  walls  ? "  Ina 
recovered  herself,  and  looked  at  Balatsu-usur 
anxiously.  "  The  guard  is  doubled,  my  father 
says,  at  every  gate.  It  is  such  a  horrible  thing 
—  it  has  been  so  sudden  —  no  time  to  explain 


316         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

—  and  women  know  nothing.  Nobody  has  told 
me  how  Allit  will  pass  Nevitti-Bel,  and  beyond 
Imgur-Bel  how  shall  he  escape  ?  For  these  are 
terrible  walls,  and  terribly  are  they  watched  to- 
day!" 

Balatsu-usur  smiled. 

"  The  passport  beareth  the  official  seal  of  the 
governor  of  Babylon,"  he  said  quietly. 

Then  Egibi  came  back  into  the  room.  He 
looked  pale,  and  walked  slowly.  No  one  spoke 
to  him.  The  Assyrianized  Jew  had  committed 
his  first  disloyalty  to  the  state  which  had  en- 
trusted him  with  its  highest  financial  position, 
for  the  sake  of  a  dead  brother,  whom,  living, 
he  had  never  taken  the  trouble  to  acknowledge. 
His  daughter  came  to  him  after  a  moment's 
hesitation,  and  hid  her  face  upon  his  knees.  She 
wished  that  her  mother  were  living.  How  could 
fathers  understand  ?  She  heard  the  noise  in  the 
hot  streets  drearily.  Desolate  Babylon  !  In 
a  moment,  in  the  twinkle  of  an  eye,  what  a 
desert ! 

But  Balatsu-usur  departed  silently,  and  went 
alone  unto  his  own  place. 

As  he  entered  the  palace,  the  voice  of  a  dis- 
tant crier  came  faintly  on  the  sluggish  air :  — 

"  For  the  head  of  Allit  Arioch,  two  talents  1 
Two  talents  !  Two  talents  !  " 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

IT  was  well  into  the  dark  of  the  night.  Weary 
Babylon  slept  heavily.  Only  the  extra  guards 
and  the  sleepy  criers,  still  proclaiming  a  price 
for  the  head  of  the  king's  captain,  patrolled  the 
streets  at  less  frequent  intervals. 

At  the  great  gate  of  Imgur-Bel,  an  unattended 
horseman  halted. 

"  Stand !  "  cried  the  guard  anxiously.  "  The 
countersign !  Thy  passport !  Who  art  thou, 
and  on  what  errand  wouldst  thou,  alone  and  un- 
defended, pass  Imgur-Bel,  on  a  night  like  this?" 

The  horseman  removed  his  turban,  baring  his 
head  and  face  fully  to  the  guardsman's  torch. 
He  extended  his  hand,  upon  which  the  seal 
of  the  Province  glittered,  cut  in  one  priceless 
sapphirine. 

"  My  lord  the  governor !  "  cried  the  guard, 
bowing  to  the  ground.  "  I  pray  thy  pardon. 
In  mercy,  pass  thou  on." 

He  saluted  and  protested.  The  governor 
saluted  and  praised.  The  gate  opened  and 
closed  with  important  resonance.  Balatsu-usur 
spurred  his  Arabian  horse,  and,  once  well  with- 


318         THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS. 

out  the  city,  sped  through  the  dark,  hot  air  as 
recklessly  as  a  boy  in  the  university  of  Bel  at 
his  riding-lessons. 

He  made  tremendous  time,  to  which  he  gave 
no  check  until  the  outlines  of  the  caravan  to 
Damascus  met  his  fixed  and  sunken  eye.  Then 
the  saint  halted  mightily,  drew  his  horse  upon 
the  haunches  with  a  soldier's  muscle,  and  fell 
into  a  slow  and  thoughtful  pace.  What  unman- 
ageable human  impulse  moved  this  holy  heart 
now,  after  all,  at  the  end  of  so  much  struggle 
and  supremacy  of  soul  ?  But  it  came  to  seem 
to  the  Jew  that  his  breath  would  die  out  of  his 
body,  if  he  might  not  look  upon  her  face  again. 
Just  to  see  her  for  one  moment,  —  only  for  a 
single  moment ;  he  thought,  if  he  could  see  that 
curve  of  her  chin,  and  the  way  her  under  lip 
trembled  —  perhaps  she  would  even  be  glad  to 
speak  to  him,  and  tell  him  that  she  was  happier 
for  saying  farewell  to  him,  after  all. 

Daniel  rode  on  softly.  The  caravan,  skirting 
the  Euphrates,  had  just  camped  for  a  few  hours 
on  the  luxuriant  bank.  The  full  starlight  fell 
on  it.  The  camels  were  lying  down  peacefully. 
Lights  glimmered  still  from  the  tents.  A  nod- 
ding watchman  recognized  and  admitted  him ; 
a  watchdog  barked  at  him  dutifully.  He  left 
his  horse,  and  entered  the  camp  on  foot. 

Before  a  cluster  of  tents,  bearing  in  Assyrian 


THE  MASTER  OF   THE  MAGICIANS.         319 

characters  the  ideogram  of  the  great  firm  of 
Egibi,  the  Jew  paused.  His  movements  were 
almost  stealthy.  To  avoid  attention  seemed  to 
be  his  absorbing  purpose.  He  had  pursued  the 
bride  of  Allit  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind, — 
upon  the  wilder  wings  of  a  mad  emotion  ;  but 
now  that  he  was  within  a  spear's  toss  of  her,  it 
was  as  if  he  were  afraid  to  make  his  presence 
known,  or  to  behold  so  much  as  her  shadow  on 
the  sand. 

As  he  stood  there,  hesitant,  humble,  one  might 
say  embarrassed,  and  uncertain  in  his  move- 
ments, a  familiar  sound,  without  any  embarrass- 
ment whatever,  startled  the  drowsy  air.  It  was 
a  boy's  laugh. 

Then  Daniel  lifted  his  head  and  looked,  and 
the  nearest  tent-lights  flashed  upon  him  merrily. 
At  the  door  of  her  tent,  Mariamnu,  the  captive, 
sat  half  within  and  half  without  the  curtain. 
Before  her,  stretched  lazily  upon  the  ground, 
Susa  lay  chattering  like  a  hoopoe.  He  regarded 
Mariamnu  with  pretty,  boyish  admiration". 

"For  my  part,"  said  Susa  loudly,  with  his 
usual  dogmatism,  "  I  have  no  confidence  in  the 
government.  What  is  a  throne  without  so  much 
as  a  regent  ?  I  have  seen  too  much  of  it !  I 
know  how  Babylon  ought  to  be  ruled.  Turn 
your  king  to  grass  and  toss  your  queen  into  a 
reservoir,  and  where  are  you?  In  my  opinion 


320          THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

it  will  be  some  days  before  they  will  find  that 
fellow  Arioch.  He  's  well  hidden  in  that  cat's- 
cradle  of  a  city,  —  trust  him  for  it.  I  should 
search  the  big  Ziggurat.  But  —  ah  —  I  was 
not  consulted."  Susa  had  the  air  of  having 
made  a  fine  political  point :  he  looked  about  the 
camp  to  see  if  any  one  had  overheard  his  views ; 
he  thought  himself  exceedingly  adroit. 

Mariamnu  assented  in  a  sleepy,  happy  tone. 
The  captive  gazed  about  her  confusedly.  Her 
freedom  perplexed  her  as  much  as  the  stars  in 
heaven,  and  seemed  still  as  far  away.  Susa 
rattled  on  contentedly.  He  took  a  lower  tone, 
that  he  might  not  be  overheard  by  his  neigh- 
bors :  — 

"  The  only  thing  I  regret  about  it  is  this. 
There  was  my  translation  from  the  Akkadian. 
Mutusa-ili  thought  it  extraordinary.  It  is 
packed  away  in  the  library  of  the  university  for 
all  time  and  times  and  a  day.  Now  my  grand- 
children will  never  see  it.  How  shall  I  prove 
to  them  that  I  was  talented  ?  That 's  a  great 
pity!" 

He  threw  back  his  head,  and  laughed  like  a 
fountain.  Then  he  stretched  his  stout  young 
arms,  clasped  his  hands  behind  his  neck,  and 
yawned. 

"  Sing,  Mariamnu.  It  is  very  stupid  of  those 
two,  —  leaving  us  to  ourselves,  this  way.  I  sup- 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         321 

pose  we  've  got  to  expect  that,  till  this  tiresome 
journey  is  over.  We  shall  have  to  make  the 
most  of  each  other.  I  'm  glad  you  're  such  a 
pretty  girl.  Sing,  Mariamnu,  sing  !  " 

Mariamnu,  with  the  instinct  of  captivity, 
obeyed  the  young  Babylonian.  She  took  her 
little  lyre ;  it  was  cut  from  a  tortoise-shell ;  it 
had  seven  strings ;  she  leaned  her  head  against 
the  tent-pole,  and  turned  her  eyes  toward  the 
stars. 

"Look  there,"  whispered  Susa.  "Look  at 
them:' 

He  pointed  down  between  the  tents,  toward 
the  outer  circle  of  the  encampment.  Mariamnu 
looked  and  smiled,  and  sang  :  — 

"  Fold  the  tent,  fold  the  tent. 

Start  away ! 
Love  is  but  a  traveler, 

Camped  for  a  day. 
Oh,  though  he  kiss  and  whisper, 
Though  he  be  fair  and  fond, 
Love  is  but  a  traveler,  — 

The  desert  lies  beyond. 

"  Strike  the  tent,  strike  the  tent 

Strong  and  fast. 
Love,  like  any  traveler, 

Cometh  home  at  last. 
Oh,  sing  it  to  the  sunlight ! 
Oh,  tell  it  to  the  wind  1 
Love  hath  been  a  traveler,  — 

But  the  desert  lies  behind." 


322          THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

Daniel's  haggard  gaze  had  followed  the  lad's 
finger.  Were  they  figures  ?  Were  they  shad- 
ows? Soft,  blurred  outlines  moved  from  out 
the  tent  of  the  merchant,  friend  of  Egibi,  and 
bound  by  way  of  Damascus  for  Judea.  The 
Jew  followed  them  silently. 

The  two  stole  down  between  the  tents,  and 
turned  their  faces  toward  the  wide  night.  They 
made  as  if  they  would  be  a  little  apart  from  hu- 
manity, from  which,  indeed,  they  might  not  free 
themselves.  He,  the  man,  stood  erect ;  he  had 
the  air  of  a  god  at  the  moment  of  his  apotheosis. 
She,  the  woman,  shrank  and  seemed  to  tremble  ; 
she  looked  like  an  enraptured  sacrifice.  It  was 
too  dark  to  see  their  faces ;  but  their  eloquent 
forms,  modeled  against  the  starlight,  spoke  like 
the  festal  figures  on  a  frieze. 

Daniel  delayed  his  foot  and  cast  down  his 
eyes.  He  had  meant  to  speak  with  her,  just  one 
word  ;  to  see  her  face  for  one  precious  moment. 
His  heavy  lids  lifted  uncertainly.  Then,  in  the 
dark,  the  man  and  woman  turned  and  clung  .  .  . 

The  Jew  thrust  his  hands  against  his  face. 
His  head  fell.  From  the  tent  behind  him,  the 
low  voice  of  Mariamnu  sang  delicately :  — 

"  Oh,  happy,  happy !     Sacred  thy  delight. 
To  life  belongs  the  day,  to  love  the  night. 

Oh,  blessed,  blessed !  for  the  gods  give  breath. 
But  love's  are  day  and  night,  and  life  and  death." 


THE  MASTER   OF  THE  MAGICIANS.         323 

The  two  figures  unclasped,  and  seemed  to 
listen  to  the  song;  then  clung  again.  When 
Balatsu-usur  raised  his  eyes,  he  saw  that  they 
had  moved,  and  set  their  invisible  faces  toward 
their  own  tent.  Their  footsteps  made  no  sound 
in  the  soft  soil. 

Without  a  word,  without  a  sign,  and  without 
another  glance,  the  Jew  turned.  He  left  the 
camp  at  once. 

When  the  governor  of  Babylon  reached  the 
city,  the  guard  at  Imgur-Bel  noticed  that  the 
eminent  horseman  did  not  take  the  street  lead- 
ing to  his  own  palace.  Daniel,  on  the  contrary, 
rode  straight  to  the  temple  of  Bel.  He  rode 
slowly.  He  was  absorbed  in  patient  thought. 
Now  this  Ziggurat  was  the  highest  elevation  in 
Babylon.  Daniel  dismounted  at  the  Ziggurat. 

His  appearance  at  that  place  and  at  that 
hour  surprised  the  idolatrous  priests,  to  whose 
shrine  the  governor  of  the  province  was  not  ac- 
customed to  give  countenance  by  even  the  merest 
visit  of  curiosity.  But  they  saluted  him  with 
enforced  respect,  and  admitted  him  without 
question. 

Daniel  slowly  climbed  the  interminable  slope. 
He  walked  wearily.  He  seemed  tired  out.  The 
night  was  far  spent.  The  dim  temple  lights 
were  not  enough  to  reveal  the  colors  of  the  Zig- 


324         THE  MASTER  OF  THE  MAGICIANS. 

gurat.  The  Jew  counted  them  from  memory,  in 
a  dull  way,  as  he  ascended. 

"  I  have  passed  the  black  and  the  white.  .  .  . 
This  is  the  orange.  .  .  .  Was  that  the  blue? 
How  far  to  the  red  ?  for  it  holdeth  the  color  of 
the  heart's  blood.  .  .  .  Fair  is  she  as  this  silver. 
.  .  .  When  the  sun  arise th,  will  she  look  back, 
if  so  she  may  once  more  behold  the  glitter  of  the 
day  upon  the  tower  of  gold  ?  " 

He  climbed  to  the  topmost  foothold  of  the 
temple.  At  his  peremptory  request,  the  astrol- 
oger on  duty  there  descended.  Daniel  clung 
with  his  long  fingers  to  the  marble  railing ;  he 
was  $0  giddy  with  exhaustion  that  he  might  easily 
have  fallen  from  the  height.  He  stood  with  his 
face  toward  Damascus,  toward  Judea. 

Dawn  came.  The  pale,  violet  light  touched 
his  solitary  figure  solemnly.  Far  down  the 
plain  the  outline  of  the  cavalcade  could  be  seen. 
It  must  have  been  stirring  for  some  time.  It 
fell  into  shape  like  a  huge  serpent,  crawled  on, 
and  began  to  grow  small.  Then  it  faded  gently. 
He  passed  his  hand  over  his  e}^es,  rubbed  them, 
and  strained  them  piteously.  But  the  white 
caravan  had  vanished  in  the  sand.  Beyond  was 
the  desert.  As  the  sun  rose,  Daniel  extended 
his  hands,  palms  outward,  and  fell  upon  his 
knees. 


\  , 
' 


- 

JUVJJM4 
'^AMX/Uj 


tfe- 


,         , 


,  •]-'- 

*!          KA/^^^^' 

* 

' 


(V,.,  "i 

.&A.           •  I 

&  fA  c*.  .    y^tuarttf'j^ 

V 

i,       4i        Hv 

,  4^-*AAv'-,.Jb  -•J^'  / 

•A-HtrtbX                                     ~T 

«  M%,, 

-t-« 


.u  a 


1'   IVJlftL 


•*  >  "M^VMa 


^~^«U" 

^, 


.^ 

" 


-tT 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY, 
BERKELEY 

THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 

Books  not  returned  on  time  are  subject  to  a  fine  of 
50c  per  volume  after  the  third  day  overdue,  increasing 
to  $1.00  per  volume  after  the  sixth  day.  Books  not  in 
demand  may  be  renewed  if  application  is  made  before 
expiration  of  loan  period. 


&> 


SEP 


REC'D  LD 


50w-8,'26 


? 


d 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


